Iran will enter a war with the United States if Israel launches a new attack on the Islamic Republic, a senior Iranian official and former chief commander of the Revolutionary Guard said on Sunday.
"The Zionists (Israel) are seeking to try their luck against Iran once again," Major General Mohsen Rezaei told the state TV.
“However, events will soon happen inside Israel that will make this impossible,” he said. “It is not expedient to talk about them now.”
His remarks came hours after Ynet reported Israel is on heightened alert after the United Nations sanctions were reinstated on Iran under the so-called snapback mechanism, amid fears in the Jewish State that Tehran could accelerate its nuclear activities.
The sanctions were imposed despite several rounds of talks between Tehran and world powers aimed at clinching an agreement on Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
Rezaei said Tehran will not accept further negotiations with Western powers that give Israel time to prepare or strengthen its position.
“Negotiations aimed at giving Israel time or strengthen it are unacceptable,” the veteran general-turned-politician told the state TV as he was once again seen wearing his military uniform.
“If that happens, the moment Israel starts a war, we will also enter a war with the United States,” said Rezaei who is a member of Iran’s Expediency Council.
“Negotiations must not be accepted in any form, at any price, or without conditions,” he said. “If we enter negotiations, military force must in no way be used against Iran. Otherwise, we will retaliate; not only against Israel, but also against American targets in the region.”
The warning followed fresh statements from Iran’s military leadership emphasizing the country’s readiness to respond to any attack.
Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s armed forces chief of staff Abdolrahim Mousavi said the military is fully prepared to respond to any threat or assault.
“Unity between the army and the Revolutionary Guards is the guarantor of preserving Iran’s territorial integrity,” Mousavi said during a meeting with the Guards’ commander.
“The armed forces are fully ready to confront any threat or possible aggression with strength,” he added.
