Dubai: Three weeks into relentless US-Israeli airstrikes that have eliminated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other leaders besides destroying key infrastructure, Iran on Friday threatened strikes on international tourist hotspots and boasted of uninterrupted missile manufacturing.
The defiant rhetoric came on a day the nation observed a muted Persian New Year, Nowruz. Tehran has countered by targeting Israel and energy installations in neighbouring Gulf states, throttling oil supplies and driving up worldwide food and fuel prices far outside the Middle East, AP reported.
The exact extent of damage to Iran’s arms factories, nuclear sites or energy facilities since the start of the conflict on February 28 is unclear. With scant details emerging from Iran, it’s not even clear as to who holds real power. Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s successor, has not been seen in public.
Yet, Tehran continues to demonstrate remarkable resilienc
e and striking capacity.
US and Israel’s goals for attacking Iran have varied from triggering an internal uprising, changing regime, to eradicating nuclear and missile capabilities.
There has been no public evidence of revolt in Iran since the conflict began, while Tehran’s remaining arsenal remains a mystery.
In its latest threat to the US and Israel, Iran vowed to hunt down their officials worldwide, even on vacation. The military went on to warn that tourists spots, parks and recreational centres would be “unsafe” for their enemies.
“We are watching your cowardly officials and commanders, pilots and wicked soldiers,” Iranian armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi was quoted as saying by state TV.
“From now on, based on the information we have on you, the promenades, resorts and tourist and entertainment centres in the world will not be safe for you either,” he added.
Revolutionary Guard spokesman Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini said enough missiles are being produced.
“We are producing missiles even during war conditions, which is amazing, and there is no particular problem in stockpiling,” Naeini told Iran’s state-run IRAN newspaper.
“These people expect the war to continue until the enemy is completely exhausted,” he added.
Shortly after his statement was released, Iranian state television reported Naeini was killed in an airstrike.