Iran "exercises the right to defend..."If Israel does not retaliate further, retaliatory measures will end"

The Iranian government has said it will refrain from further attacks unless there is retaliation from Israel for its missile attacks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi said in a post on social media X on the 2nd local time that a large-scale missile attack targeting Israel was an exercise of self-defense.

"If the Israeli system does not make a decision to provoke further retaliation, Iran's military retaliation will end," he said.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which launched a missile strike on Israel, warned of further military action against Israel's retaliation and any direct military intervention in support of Israel.

Iranian military chief Mohammad Bagheri stressed in a speech on state television that if Israel were to retaliate again, "several times more powerful" operations would be repeated.

"If the state supporting Israel intervenes directly, the region's centers and interest groups will also face heavy attacks from the Islamic Republic of Iran," the Revolutionary Guard said.

Iran's President Masud Pejeshikyan, who is classified as a moderate, told X that "Iran has responded decisively to the aggression of the Zionist regime for peace and security in the region."