Iran can wipe out Zionist Israel: Defense minister

Amid Israel’s stepped up war rhetoric against Iran, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi says the Islamic Republic has enhanced its defensive military capabilities to an extent that it can obliterate the Israeli regime.

“The defense capability of the Islamic Iran against threats by the Zionist regime (Israel) has been developed to an extent that it will be able to wipe the [Israeli] regime off the scene,” Vahidi told IRNA on Wednesday.

He added that the Israeli regime is faced with numerous problems and is making efforts to cover up its domestic woes through the war rhetoric.

The minister noted that Iran would unveil new indigenous military equipment in an attempt to display only part of its defense capabilities.

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in the defense sector and gained self-sufficiency in essential military hardware and defense systems.

The Israeli threats against Iran are based on unfounded claims that the nuclear activities of the Islamic Republic have been diverted to the acquisition of military nuclear capability.

Iranian officials have rejected the allegation, and have promised a crushing response to any military strike against the country.