Middle East On Steep Of Larger War
The Middle East is on the “precipice” of a broader war that can be averted with a two-state solution. This will allow Israel and Palestine to exist side-by-side with Jerusalem as a shared capital, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council last Thursday. Thus, the United States vetoed a draft resolution in the Security Council that said as much that same day. Guterres’ comments came as Tehran warned it has the ability to strike Israeli nuclear sites if Israel targets Iran’s nuclear facilities.
According to Guterres, prior accords, international law, and U.N. resolutions all support a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The current Israeli government, however, has shown little interest in relinquishing control of the occupied territories.
“Let me be clear − the risks are spiraling on many fronts,” he stated. “We have a shared responsibility to address those risks and pull the region back from the precipice.”
With Iran threatening Israel with nuclear weapons, the European Council imposed additional restrictions on Iran’s drone and missile programs in response to Israel’s raid over the weekend.
Iran Threatens Israel With Weapons
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims that Iran has threatened to attack Israel’s nuclear facilities and may even pursue the development of a vital weapon. This is the outcome in the event that the nation strikes Iran’s nuclear installations.
This occurred on last week, after Israeli officials promised to get revenge on Iran for its unprecedented attacks on Israel previously. An Israeli military raid on the Iranian consulate in Syria is said to have sparked the attacks. Ahmad Haqtalab, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said, “We can review our axial doctrine and depart from our previous considerations due to the threats posed by the Zionist regime (Israel) against Iran’s nuclear facilities.” Furthermore, the nuclear defense of Tehran is under Haqtalab’s control.
Haqtalab stated that Israel’s nuclear facilities “have been identified, and we have the necessary information about all the targets…in other words, our fingers are on the trigger.”
Israel has vowed to react to Iran’s jet strike, even if many of its Western allies—most notably the United States—are against it. They would like to see an end to the tension before it becomes more serious.
Numerous serious sabotage assaults, attributed to Israel, have targeted Iran’s premier atomic facilities, most notably Natanz in central Isfahan. This supposedly follows a shadow war in more than a decade that also saw several Iranian nuclear scientists assassinated.
Israeli officials have not said when or where the country would retaliate, but Ahmad Haghtalab, the Guards’ head of atomic protection and security, said Iran would “definitely” reciprocate any attack on nuclear sites.
America Publicizes Retribution Against Iran
As previously stated, Iran is threatening Israel with nuclear weapons. In response to the attack, Washington said that it was imposing numerous new penalties on Iranian businesses. Sanctions will target Iranian enterprises that develop drones, as well as suppliers and clients of one of the country’s biggest steel producers and automakers affiliated with the defense ministry and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The U.S. has designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization.
U.S. officials report that advanced airspace defense weaponry thwarted Iran’s large-scale attack using drones and missiles. President Joe Biden released a statement regarding the sanctions that the United States and its allies were working on “collectively to increase economic pressure on Iran.” With more sanctions, the U.S. will aim to “further degrade Iran’s military industries,” according to Biden.
“Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Iran’s attacks: The United States is committed to Israel’s security. We are committed to the security of our personnel and partners in the region. And we will not hesitate to take all necessary action to hold you accountable,” he said.
Written By Dijana Reedfields
Sources :
AL Jazeera – Israeli attack on nuclear sites to prompt tit-for-tat, pursuing nukes: Iran
Newsweek – Iran Issues Nuclear Warning to Israel
USA Today – Iran warns it may change nuclear weapons stance in face of Israel, US announces sanctions
USA Today – Iran threatens to target Israeli nuke facilities; Middle East on ‘precipice’ of bigger war
Barron’s – Iran Warns Israel Against Attacking Nuclear Sites
