Iran vows ‘smart’, ‘decisive’ response to Israeli assassination of IRGC general in Syria

Defense Ministry Spokesperson, Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik, told a news conference on Tuesday, “The Zionist regime should wait for the retribution of its recent terrorist attack.”

“Definitely, our decisive and smart response will be carried out in a way and in a time, place and method that the Zionist regime will not achieve the goals in such terrorist operations,” he said.

Seyyed Razi Mousavi, a veteran member of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and a military advisor, was killed in an Israeli attack in a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus on Monday.

General Talaei-Nik said the action by the US and the Israeli regime outside the Gaza Strip, amid the months-long carnage in the besieged Palestinian territory, shows they are seeking to spread the conflict in the region, adding “The Zionists’ terrorist crime deserves global condemnation and punishment.”

Iranian officials, including Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani condemned the assassination of the senior IRGC military adviser, saying it indicates the Israeli regime’s terrorist nature.

He reaffirmed Iran reserves the right to retaliate the assassination.

President Ebrahim Raisi in a message said the Israeli regime will definitely pay the price for the criminal act, describing it as “yet another sign of the usurping Zionist regime’s desperation.”

Iranian military personnel are in Syria on an advisory mission at the request of the Syrian government.