Iran on Monday warned the United States would bear “full responsibility” in case of a retaliatory attack by Israel on the Islamic Republic, after US President Joe Biden indicated he was aware of Israeli plans to do so.
Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, called Biden’s remarks “profoundly alarming and provocative” in a letter addressed to United Nations chief Antonio Guterres and the Swiss presidency of the UN Security Council.
The tension escalated after President Biden, when questioned by a reporter, confirmed his understanding of Israel’s response timeline following an Iranian missile barrage on October 1. The missile attack, which consisted of approximately 200 ballistic missiles, was launched by Iran as retaliation for the killing of senior figures from Hamas, Hezbollah, and an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general.
Israel, already engaged in conflict with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, has vowed to seek retribution against Iran for the missile strikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly communicated to President Biden his intention to strike Iran’s military facilities, while refraining from targeting its nuclear or oil infrastructure.
In his letter, Iravani sharply criticized Biden’s statements.He argued that the US president’s words signaled “tacit approval and explicit support for Israel’s unlawful military aggression against Iran.”
