War of words escalates as Abbas Araghchi warns Israel

Tensions between Iran and Israel escalated further after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a

Tensions between Iran and Israel escalated further after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a strong warning in response to remarks made by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz regarding Iran’s leadership.

Araghchi said any threat directed at Iran’s people or leadership would trigger an immediate and forceful response from Tehran. In a statement shared on social media, he warned that Iran would not remain silent in the face of threats and would respond decisively to any hostile action.

The warning came after Katz claimed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had become a potential target and stated that Israel reserved the right to launch additional military operations against Iran if it considered such action necessary.

Speaking during a ceremony marking the anniversary of the 2006 Lebanon war, Katz said Israel had already carried out two pre-emptive operations against Iran and could strike again in the future. He also stated that Israeli forces would continue maintaining a military presence in areas of Lebanon, Syria and Gaza that Israel considers vital for its security.

Meanwhile, former Israeli military chief and opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot sharply criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his recent statements regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

According to Israeli media reports, Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of exaggerating and misrepresenting the threat posed by Iran in order to create fear among the Israeli public. He rejected claims that Iran already possessed nuclear weapons and described such statements as misleading.

The criticism followed Netanyahu’s recent interview in which he claimed that Israeli actions against Iran had prevented the country from obtaining atomic weapons. Eisenkot, who served as Israel’s military chief between 2015 and 2019, announced this week that he intends to challenge Netanyahu in the upcoming general elections.

Relations between Tehran and Tel Aviv have remained highly tense following military confrontations in recent years. Earlier this year, the United States and Israel launched attacks targeting Iranian military sites and infrastructure, leading to a period of direct exchanges between the two sides.

Israel also conducted a major military operation inside Iran in June 2025, claiming the strikes targeted facilities linked to Tehran’s missile and nuclear programmes. Iranian authorities denied the accusations and insisted that the country’s nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes.

International monitoring agencies have not confirmed the existence of Iranian nuclear weapons. Iran continues to maintain that it is not pursuing a nuclear arsenal.

Israel and the United States argue that Iran’s missile and nuclear programmes pose a threat to regional security and allied nations in the Middle East. Tehran rejects those claims and says its policies are defensive in nature.

Israel is widely believed by international experts to possess nuclear weapons, although the country has never officially confirmed or denied having such an arsenal. Israeli nuclear facilities also remain outside the safeguards framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency.