Iran will respond to any action against its interests, President Ebrahim Raisi said on Tuesday, according to the Iranian Student News Agency, a day after Israel warned it will respond to Tehran's weekend drone and missile attack.
"We categorically declare that the smallest action against Iranian interests will certainly be met with a severe, widespread and painful response against any perpetrator," Raisi told the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
Israel's military Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, said on Monday that Iran's attack on Israel - which was a retaliation after the April 1 bombing of the
Iranian embassy compound in Damascus - warranted a response.
Iran's deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani told state TV on Monday night that Tehran's counteroffensive following any Israeli retaliation would be "a matter of seconds as Iran will not wait for another 12 days to respond".
Israel-Iran battle escalates, civilians urged to evacuate target areas
Air India chairman says crash should drive effort to build safer airline
40 killed in Gaza as UN denounces Israeli-backed aid system
Harvard to urge judge to bar Trump from closing doors for international students
US police arrest suspect in Minnesota lawmakers' shooting
Three hikers killed by lightning strike in Austrian Alps
Trump calls for expanded deportation efforts of people illegally in US
Israel and Iran strike at each other in new wave of attacks
