Politics Khamenei adviser: Iran will return Israel's attacks

According to a close advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran will retaliate against the latest Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic. "The Israeli attacks will not go unanswered," Kamal Kharrasi, foreign policy adviser to Khamenei, told the Arabic news channel Al-Majadin, as reported by the Iranian state news agency Irna. The range of Iranian missiles could also be increased in the future.

He also said that in the event of an existential threat from Israel, the country would also revise its current nuclear doctrine. Technically, the country is capable of producing nuclear weapons. "The only obstacle is the religious ban," the influential foreign policy expert told the broadcaster.

The government in Tehran has always maintained that nuclear weapons have no place in Iran's defense strategy and that the nuclear program is peaceful and in line with international regulations. In addition, there is a fatwa - a religious legal opinion - from Supreme Leader Khamenei that prohibits both the construction and use of weapons of mass destruction.

Last week, Israel attacked several military installations and the air defense system in Iran. According to Iranian reports, only minor damage was caused. Israel had responded with the airstrikes to an attack by Iran with around 200 missiles at the beginning of October.

SDA