JNS
The Foreign Ministry said that the calls from France, Germany and Britain to exercise restraint "lack political logic and contradict principles of international law."
Tehran on Tuesday rejected calls by Western countries to back down from its threat to attack Israel over the assassination of Hamas terror leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital late last month.
Iran's Foreign Ministry said that the calls from France, Germany and Britain to exercise restraint "lack political logic and contradict principles of international law."
The three countries issued a joint statement on Monday urging Iran to refrain from attacking Israel, which they warned would exacerbate tensions and jeopardize a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
“We are deeply concerned by the heightened tensions in the region, and united in our commitment to de-escalation and regional stability,” reads the statement, which was signed by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“We call on Iran and its allies to refrain from attacks that would further escalate regional tensions and jeopardise the opportunity to agree [on] a ceasefire and the release of hostages,” the statement continues.
“They will bear responsibility for actions that jeopardise this opportunity for peace and stability. No country or nation stands to gain from a further escalation in the Middle East,” it warns.
Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah have accused Israel of targeting Haniyeh, but Jerusalem has not taken responsibility. Separately, Hezbollah has vowed revenge for the killing of its top commander Fuad Shukr, which Israel did take credit for.
"Without any objection to the crimes of the Zionist regime [Israel], the E3 statement impudently requires Iran not to respond to a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.
He went on to say that Tehran was determined to attack Israel to establish deterrence and urged the European leaders to "once and for all stand up against the war in Gaza and the warmongering of Israel."
"The inaction of the United Nations Security Council and the extensive political and military support of Western governments to the Zionist regime are the main factors behind the regional expansion of the Gaza crisis," he said.
The three leaders also expressed their support for the ongoing talks regarding a ceasefire deal with Hamas, saying that “the fighting must end now, and all hostages still detained by Hamas must be released.”
Hamas has announced a boycott of ceasefire negotiations set for Thursday.
Three senior Iranian officials told Reuters on Tuesday that only a ceasefire deal can prevent an Iranian attack on Israel.
One of the sources, a senior Iranian security official, said that Iran and its regional terror proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, would launch a direct attack if the Gaza talks fail or if Jerusalem is perceived to be dragging out the negotiations.
Iran has been conducting an “intense dialogue” with the United States and other Western countries on “ways to calibrate retaliation,” said the sources according to the report.
A revised Israeli intelligence assessment suggested that Iran is slated to launch an assault on the Jewish state “within days” in a joint attack with its Lebanese Hezbollah proxy, Axios reported last week.
However, Channel 12 military and security correspondent Nir Dvori reported on Tuesday that the timing and nature of the attack are still not known, although based on intelligence in Israel's possession it is certain that there will be a response.
However, Israel has not yet seen any attack preparations, according to the report.
"They may be struggling to find the formula for a perfect response - painful and daunting, but not one that leads to war," according to Dvori.
According to the article, there is a very high level of readiness in the Israeli Air Force and the IDF's Intelligence Division. Israel is carrying out a series of operations to be ready for the moment when they detect an attempt to carry out an attack.
"In such a situation, Israel will be ready to remove the threat even before it is carried out. This preparation also includes many dozens of fighter planes that are on standby, armed, precisely for this," he wrote.
There is also a dramatic intelligence-gathering effort ongoing with the Israelis and Americans, according to the report.
Hezbollah on Monday moved to evacuate its headquarters in Beirut’s southern Dahiyeh area ahead of its expected attack on Israel, Lebanon’s Al Joumhouria daily reported.
According to the newspaper, the Iran-backed terrorist organization relocated all of its operatives—including “political” officials—as well as computers and other infrastructure, to an undisclosed alternative site.
The report came as Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that a major Hezbollah attack against the Jewish state is only a matter of time.
“The response that Israel has been waiting for days with tense nerves is inevitable,” said Berri, an ally of the Iranian proxy. A “response or revenge is a dish that is eaten cold,” he added.
