Iran vows benumbing, crushing response to enemies' conspiracies

Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami slams Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's baseless claims and his provocative measures, saying the Islamic Republic will give a benumbing and crushing response to enemies' conspiracies.

"I am warning the regime occupying [Jerusalem] al-Quds and its allies that they must stop their conspiracies and dangerous behavior, because Iran's response will be surprising and make them regretful," Hatami said on Tuesday.

The Israeli prime minister delivered a televised address on Monday in which he accused Iran of violating the multilateral nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015.

The hawkish Israeli premier claimed that he had new "proof" via captured documents that Iran had developed a nuclear weapons plan, which could be activated at any time.

Hatami said the Israeli premier's show was the continuation of the regime's efforts to cover up its "unjustifiable crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people."

He emphasized that the Islamic Republic is the main supporter and defender of the oppressed Palestinians' rights.

"The timing of this show by a person who has a record of such acts, proves that in addition to the general goals of this regime in pursuing hostility towards the Iranian nation, it also pursues other specific goals, which include following suit with [US President Donald] Trump's hostile scenario against the Iranian nation," the Iranian defense chief pointed out.

He added that such claims were indicative of the Israeli regime's frustration and confusion resulting from its regional defeats and its desperation in the face of the Palestinian people's resistance.

Following Netanyahu's example, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also repeated the same accusations and said in a statement on Monday that "the documents show that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program for years. Iran sought to develop nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems."

Pompeo, until last week director of the CIA, added, "Now that the world knows Iran has lied and is still lying, it is time to revisit the question of whether Iran can be trusted to enrich or control any nuclear material."

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday slammed the U-turn in his American counterpart's position on Iran's nuclear activities, highlighting Pompeo's previous remarks in which he affirmed that Tehran had never tried to develop nuclear weapons.

The Iranian foreign minister questions the U-turn in his American counterpart's position on Iran's nuclear activities.

Taking to his official Twitter account on Tuesday, Zarif questioned Pompeo's conflicting positions on Iran's nuclear program saying, "On 4/12, Pompeo testified no need to worry about nixing JCPOA as Iran 'not racing to a weapon before the deal', nor would 'turn to race to...weapon' after. Now says 'time to revisit question of whether Iran can be trusted to enrich...any nuclear material'. So, which one is it?"