Gov’t spokeswoman says Iran “absolutely” not interested in a broader war

Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told reporters on Wednesday that Israel is responsible for the regional escalation and that Tehran is acting in self-defense.

Iran “restrained” itself after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh “despite demands” from its people to respond, Mohajerani said, “because it was interested in peace in Gaza”.

The spokeswoman warned Israel “fueled this atmosphere”, but added that “we will never allow an inch of our soil or the dignity of Iran to be stained”.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Tuesday that it has targeted “the heart of the occupied territories” in response to the martyrdom of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC general Abbas Nilforoushan at the hands of the Zionist regime.

The statement said the retaliatory attack has been launched after a period of self-restraint following the violation of Iran’s sovereignty.

The IRGC added it has fired tens of ballistic missiles at vital military and security Israeli targets.

It noted that 90 percent of the Iranian missiles fired at Israel have successfully hit the targets, including the “strategic centers” in the occupied territories.