TEHRAN – Multiple Iranian officials have spoken on Iran’s recent retaliation against Israel, stating that while the response was able to deal a heavy blow to the regime, Tehran will not hesitate to respond even stronger if Zionists dare make another mistake. 

The remarks were made on National Army Day, as senior dignitaries marked the occasion during a ceremony held at a military base in Lavizan, Tehran. 

The event saw units from four Army divisions, namely the Ground Force, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Air Defense, showcase their broad range of advanced gear such as missiles, tanks, armored vehicles, rifles, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), fighter jets, radar systems, and air defense missile systems. 

Israel suffered strategic defeat 

Speaking at the ceremony on Wednesday, the Iranian President declared that Tehran’s retaliatory strike against Israel not only dealt a military blow but also inflicted a significant strategic setback on the occupying Tel Aviv regime while it deterred certain regional Arab countries from normalizing diplomatic ties with Israel.

“The Zionist regime’s defeat was an intelligence, security, and military one; but it was a strategic setback above all. Some countries sought to normalize relations with the Zionist regime, but they are now humiliated in the eyes of their own nations. This was a strategic failure for that regime,” Ebrahim Raisi stated. 

Tehran carried out a massive drone and missile attack against the occupied territories last week after the regime struck Iran’s embassy in Damascus on April 1. While several countries including the U.S., UK, France, and Jordan aided Israel in intercepting the aerial weapons, military bases targeted by Iran were eventually destroyed by the country’s less-advanced missiles. 

Raisi emphasized Iran's commitment to regional security and sovereignty, urging neighboring countries to rely on their own resources and Muslim forces rather than foreign intervention and alliances with Israel. He described Iran's Operation True Promise as a measured response, warning Israel against further military adventurism and asserting that a stronger strike could have obliterated it entirely.

“Operation True Promise was a limited and not a comprehensive measure. If we had carried out a stronger operation, nothing would then have been left out of Israel,” he said.

Highlighting the Iranian Armed Forces' capabilities, Raisi praised their technical prowess, industrial independence, and indigenous innovations, attributing these achievements to the dedication of young specialists. He emphasized Iran's production of advanced military equipment, positioning the nation as a formidable force regionally and globally.

“Our equipped and updated Army, alongside the IRGC (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps) and (other) armed forces, constitute the pillars of our nation's authority.”

Iran fully prepared to respond to any aggression 

On the sidelines of the ceremony, the Army commander told reporters that the Iranian armed forces are fully prepared for defense while warning potential adversaries that any act of aggression would prompt a devastating response from Iran. Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi emphasized that the military capabilities Tehran showcased during the attack on Israel were just a fraction of its overall strength.

General Mousavi said Iran's Army units are currently on high alert and reiterated that any aggression against Iran's interests would elicit a fierce retaliation, with the aggressor regretting their actions.

The commander also noted that due to continuous monitoring of Iran's military progress, enemies have refrained from considering military aggression against the West Asian nation. 

New definition of power balance introduced

In a message to the Army Commander, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said Operation True Promise has presented a new definition of the balance of power in the West Asia region.

“Undoubtedly, this valuable and complex military action, which was carried out based on the [universally] acknowledged principle of legitimate defense and in accordance with generally recognized international laws and regulations, redefined the balance of power in the West Asian region and once again demonstrated the deterrence power of the country’s Armed Forces to the sworn enemies of Islam and Iran,” the top Iranian diplomat said.

Amir-Abdollahian also praised Iran’s defense and military capabilities in its recent retaliatory operation against the illegal entity.