Iranian Foreign Ministry "Stronger, proportionate response if Israel retakes"

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi made an unannounced visit to Lebanon, where Israel's airstrikes and ground wars are in full swing, on the 4th local time, and warned strongly against Israel's move to retaliate again.

"If Israel launches retaliation again, Iran's retaliation will be stronger than before," Aracchi told a news conference in Beirut. "We will take a proportionate and finely calculated response."

"Iran has no intention of continuing its airstrikes," he said, adding, "It will certainly respond to Israel's actions targeting Iran."

Arakchi said Iran's attacks on Israel were self-defense.

"Iran did not launch the attack, it was retaliation for Israeli attacks targeting Iranian territory, the Iranian consulate in Damascus and Iranian interests," he said.

"We support all measures leading to a ceasefire on the condition that the rights of the Lebanese people are respected and Hezbollah accepts them," Minister Aracchi said. "It should coincide with the ceasefire in Gaza."

Foreign media reported that it is the first time a senior Iranian official has visited Lebanon since Israeli air strikes in Beirut killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on the 27th of last month.