The Iranian authorities have reposted an address by the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, in which he vowed to punish Israel for the attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria, which occurred earlier this month.
A video of the April 10 speech was widely shared across Iranian government accounts on X (formerly Twitter) early Sunday, following the launch of Iranian drones against Israel. In the address, the supreme leader condemned the Israeli airstrike on the compound that killed seven Iranian officers, including two high-ranking generals, and compared the strike to an attack on Iran itself.
“The malicious regime itself, which is all malice, evil, and error, added another mistake to its own errors by launching an attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria,” Khamenei said, noting that “the consulate and embassy offices in any country where they exist are regarded as the soil of the country to which the embassy belongs.”
He added that Israel’s actions “should be punished and will be punished.”
Tehran launched a barrage of drones towards Israel late Saturday. According to media reports, US officials estimate that up to 500 drones and missiles launched from various locations, including Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, will rain down on Israel over the weekend.
The permanent mission of Iran to the UN issued a statement overnight, saying “Iran’s military action” constitutes “a legitimate defense” based on the UN charter.
“The matter can be deemed concluded,” the mission added, warning of “considerably more severe” consequences if Israel continues on its current course.
The agency said the conflict is exclusively between Tehran and West Jerusalem, stressing that “the US must stay away.”