TEHRAN -- An Iranian deputy foreign minister says the Israeli regime has failed to achieve its objectives in the recent war against Iran, noting that the Zionist regime’s acts of aggression and the assassination of Iranian commanders provoked strong responses from Tehran.
Saeed Khatibzadeh spoke in an interview with an Iraqi television program about regional issues and bilateral relations between Tehran and Baghdad.
Addressing recent regional developments and Israeli actions against Iran, Khatibzadeh said that for over two years, the Zionist regime has violated international laws and diplomatic norms. He described the assassination of Iranian commanders as a crime and said Israel’s strategy is largely based on targeted killings.
Following Israel’s aggression against Iran’s sovereignty, Tehran responded forcefully, he added. Khatibzadeh also hit out at Israel for using major media lobbies to spread false narratives and distort the truth.
He emphasized that the Zionist regime failed to meet its goals in the 12-day war against Iran. While Iran aims to prevent another war in the region, Khatibzadeh acknowledged that the risk of war between Iran and Israel remains high.
The deputy foreign minister further noted that the war altered the situation on the ground, particularly regarding Iran’s nuclear program. He said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was unable to fully protect Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The war began on June 13 when Israel launched an unprovoked 12-day aggression targeting military, nuclear, and residential sites in Iran. On June 22, the United States escalated the war by striking three Iranian nuclear sites in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.
Iran’s Armed Forces responded immediately and decisively. The IRGC Aerospace Force conducted 22 waves of retaliatory missile strikes under Operation True Promise III, causing significant damage and heavy losses to cities across the occupied territories.
In retaliation for the U.S. strikes, Iranian forces targeted Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American military base in West Asia, with a missile barrage.
The confrontation ended on June 24 when a ceasefire was enforced under Iran’s powerful missile strikes.