Tehran, Iran – Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday he had “received indications” hours before Israel launched an attack on military sites.
“We had received indications since the evening about the possibility of an attack that night,” Araghchi told reporters without specifying the nature of the indications.
On Saturday, Israel carried out air strikes on military sites in Iran in response to Tehran’s October 1 attack, itself retaliation for the killing of Iran-backed militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guards commander.
Araghchi said the “necessary measures” were taken when the attack unfolded, adding that he had been in contact with military officials and that “messages were also exchanged with different parties” whom he did not name.
The foreign minister emphasised in his remarks that the Islamic republic has the “right to respond”.
US news website Axios on Saturday said Israel has “sent message to Iran” ahead of its attack and warned it “against a response”.
Axios, citing anonymous sources, said the message “was an attempt to limit the ongoing exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran and prevent a wider escalation”.
Earlier on Sunday, President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran does “not seek war but we will defend the rights of our nation and country”.
Pezeshkian added that Iran “will give an appropriate response to the aggression of the Zionist regime”.