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Iranian general threatens destruction of Tel Aviv, Haifa
A senior Iranian general yesterday threatened Israel with violence and said that with the help of Hezbollah, Tehran could destroy major Israeli cities.
Major General Rahim Safavi, a military advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said that “the Zionists and the US are aware of the power of Iran and Hezbollah, and they know that over 80,000 [Iranian] missiles are ready to rain down on Tel Aviv and Haifa.” With the help of Iran, Hezbollah is thought to have amassed an arsenal of around 100,000 rockets since the 2006 Second Lebanon War.
General Safavi further warned that, “We have displayed part of our military capabilities while we have kept many of our achievements and capabilities hidden to outsiders.” He added that, “Our response will be crushing not just to the Zionist regime, but to any other aggressor who intends to take action against us.”
The comments come as Iran and the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) are locked in difficult negotiations over a long-term accord regarding Iran’s nuclear programme. Disagreements appear to remain over fundamental issues such as Iran’s use of advanced centrifuges and the pace of sanctions relief. Israeli leaders have expressed their concerns over the nascent deal, as have Saudi and Gulf leaders, citing Iran’s apparent ambitions for regional hegemony.
Meanwhile, a conference of the signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons at the United Nations in New York is due to conclude today. As in previous years, the gathering has seen Israel specifically targeted, with Egypt demanding a regional conference focusing on Israel’s alleged nuclear capability, which Israel refuses to confirm or deny.
Asked on BBC Newsnight this week about the difference between Iran’s nuclear ambitions and Israel’s apparent nuclear resources, Israel’s former-President Shimon Peres said, “I would say beware” of a “country that says lets destroy another country… But if a country is being threatened and doesn’t threaten anybody else, it’s a different story.”