…..’Tehran will burn’ if missiles do not stop – Israeli defence minister
…..Israeli military says nine Iranian nuclear scientists killed
…..Tehran says nuclear negotiations with US ‘meaningless’
Iran has issued a warning to the United States, United Kingdom, and France, cautioning them not to assist Israel in countering Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, according to a Reuters report citing Iranian state media.
Tehran has reportedly stated that it would consider targeting regional military bases and naval assets if the three Western powers provide support to Israel.
In response, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that “Tehran will burn” should Iran continue its missile attacks. During a security briefing with military officials, Katz said: “The Iranian dictator is turning the citizens of Iran into hostages and creating a reality in which they, especially the residents of Tehran, will pay a heavy price for the criminal attack on Israeli civilians.”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have announced that nine Iranian nuclear scientists and technical experts were killed in the latest wave of military operations. Initially, the IDF had confirmed the deaths of six personnel following strikes launched on Thursday night. The total has now been revised to nine, reportedly killed at the outset of the campaign.
In a related development, an Israeli military official told Reuters that significant damage was inflicted on Iran’s Esfahan and Natanz nuclear facilities. The official added that over 150 targets across Iran have been struck, and that most of the drones and missiles launched toward Israel have been intercepted.
Amid escalating tensions, Iran has signaled uncertainty over its participation in nuclear negotiations scheduled with the United States in Oman on Sunday. Tehran claims the Israeli strikes were carried out with U.S. approval, casting doubt on the value of further dialogue.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqai told state television on Saturday that no final decision had been made regarding Iran’s attendance at the sixth round of talks on its nuclear program. On Friday, Baqai had said there was “no point” in continuing negotiations in light of the Israeli attacks, which reportedly killed several senior military and nuclear personnel.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors has formally declared Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations—the first such finding in two decades.
