Iran’s recently-installed Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Abdolrahim Mousavi, has voiced strong doubts over Israel’s commitment to the ceasefire that ended the recent 12-day war, warning that Tehran is fully prepared to deliver a forceful response should hostilities resume, Tasnim reported.
In a phone call with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman on June 29, Mousavi said Iran remains on high alert, citing what he described as Israel and the United States’ disregard for international norms.
“Despite Iran’s restraint and ongoing indirect negotiations with the US, both countries launched attacks on Iranian soil, proving to the world their contempt for international rules,” he said.
The conflict, which erupted on June 13 with Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, concluded with a ceasefire on June 24. However, analysts continue to describe the situation as precarious, warning that renewed violence remains a real possibility.
During the war, Iran launched at least 22 waves of missile strikes against Israel. Some 48 hours before the ceasefire, the United States struck Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Iran retaliated with a missile attack on the US al-Udeid base in Qatar.
Saudi Arabia’s defence minister reportedly told Mousavi that Riyadh had gone beyond mere condemnation of the conflict and had made significant efforts to help bring the war to an end.
Unconfirmed reports have also surfaced, however, suggesting that US escort fighters may have taken off from bases in Saudi Arabia during the conflict, further fuelling speculation about regional involvement.
Meanwhile, Iranian MP Esmail Kowsari, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, also told local media that the current situation should not be mistaken for a lasting peace.
“We are not in a ceasefire right now, but in a temporary pause in the war; and it depends on when the other side chooses to resume it,” he said.
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