Iran urges proper response to Israel’s threats

Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has denounced Israel’s recent incendiary rhetoric against Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.

“The Zionist Israeli officials’ threats against the people and governments of the region are nothing new, but the persistence of Israeli officials’ essential nature over the past six decades. We strongly condemn such threats which we believe are aimed at blackmailing regional nations,” Mottaki told reporters Thursday.

“The Israeli officials committed numerous war crimes in their 1982 invasion and the 33-day-war on Lebanon as well as their 22-day war on Gaza with the aim of threatening the people of these nations; whereas the Lebanese and Palestinians’ resistance taught them good lessons,” Mottaki added.

The remarks come in the wake of Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s unprecedented threats against the Syrian government, warning President Bashar Assad that “not only will you lose the war; you and your family will no longer be in power.”

In addition, recent provocative rhetoric from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested a potential Israeli war against Lebanon.

Israel’s threats faced a counterproductive response from Lebanese Premier Saad Hariri, who backed Hezbollah’s armed resistance as long as the threat from Israel persists.

“We ask the international community to be aware of daily Israeli threats and we assure Israel that betting on a schism in Lebanon will fail,” Hariri said.

Israel launched an attack on Lebanon in 2006, but was met with resistance from Hezbollah. The 33-day war resulted in a defeat for Tel Aviv, after the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 called on Israel to withdraw all of its forces from Lebanon.

Motakki called on regional and international organizations to make appropriate responses to Israel’s bullying and warned the Israeli officials of the negative consequences of their threatening, provocative remarks.