Israel cannot attack Iran without US approval, warns Major General Rashid

Tehran – ‘Israel cannot launch attacks on Iran’s nuclear and military bases without US permission and support. Israel does not have that capacity,’ claimed senior Iranian military officer Major General Gholam Ali Rashid. Major General Rashid also threatened that Israeli military bases would be destroyed without delay if Iran fired missiles. Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz has vowed not to wait for US permission to launch attacks on Iran’s nuclear projects and Iran has reacted to this.

On Monday, the Iranian military tested the air defence systems in the airspace of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. A news agency associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards clarified that the test was conducted as a preparation to respond to an attack on the Bushehr nuclear plant. The five-day exercise has been attended by the Aerospace Department, Army and Navy of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The second phase of the exercises will be held in the Strait of Hormuz. On this occasion, Major General Rashid, the chief of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian military, threatened Israel.

Major General Rashid claimed that even if Israeli leaders and military officials have threatened to launch an attack on Iran, they require approval and support from the United States. On the other hand, in response to Israel’s aggression, Major General Rashid warned that Iran does not need anyone’s permission to launch attacks on Israeli military bases, centres and sensitive areas. Another Iranian military official warned that Israel should not make the mistake of launching attacks on Iran while the talks are being held in Vienna regarding the nuclear deal.

‘Attempts to pressure Iran to comply with Western demands will have dire consequences. In that scenario, Iran will withdraw from the cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency,’ the concerned Iranian military official threatened. The Vienna talks have been postponed till next week.

Meanwhile, during a visit to the United States last week, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz had informed the United States of the date of the attack on Iran’s nuclear program. Israel had announced an attack on Iran, saying it did not agree with the nuclear deal in Vienna. Gantz had been told that Israel would not wait for approval from the United States or other Western countries. Even Biden’s political opponents in the United States have advised Israel not to wait for the Biden administration’s support for an attack on Iran.