Iran on Saturday threatened a “destructive” response to any future attacks on its interests, days after its 12-day war with Israel over its nuclear program.
"If Iran's national interests and assets are attacked again, our response this time will be different, more crushing and destructive, and could accelerate the collapse of the American regime," Brig. Gen. Ramezan Sharif, spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), warned in a statement broadcast by the Iranian Fars news agency.
Separately, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, deputy commander for coordination at the guard corps, warned: "If there is the slightest attack on any Shia religious authorities, whether successful or not, not a single American agent will leave this region alive. All American diplomats, military personnel, and employees in the region will either be killed or captured."
The comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday sharply criticized Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning that he would consider bombing the country again if Tehran continued enriching uranium.
On June 22, the U.S. dropped six bunker-buster bombs on the Fordo nuclear facility and launched dozens of cruise missile attacks on sites in Natanz and Isfahan as part of its campaign against Iran's nuclear program.
Earlier Saturday, thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran to attend a funeral procession for individuals killed during recent Israeli airstrikes, including military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians.
A 12‑day conflict between Israel and Iran erupted on June 13 when Israel launched air strikes on Iranian military, nuclear, and civilian sites, killing at least 606 people and injuring 5,332, according to Iran's Health Ministry.
Tehran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes on Israel, killing at least 29 people and wounding more than 3,400, according to figures released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The conflict came to a halt under a US-sponsored ceasefire that took effect on June 24.
