October 11-13
Iran’s new defense minister has wasted no time getting into the rhetorical swing of things by saying that the Israeli prime minister’s anger at Iran proves just how effective Iranian foreign policy has been at the UN.
Defense Minister Hossain Dehqani said Israel’s “warmongering” remarks against Iran underscored Tehran’s political success.
Reacting to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s anti-Iran remarks at the UN General Assembly, Dehqani said his anger pleased Iran because it was “indicative of our powerful presence in the international arenas.”
On the possibility of a military attack on Iran, Dehqani said Israel is too weak to do any such thing. This has been a common strain of Iranian rhetoric in recent weeks.
Last Wednesday, President Rohani slammed Netanyahu for “desperate efforts” to prevent a rapprochement between Tehran and Washington, and said Netanyahu’s furious words please Iran.
“That an aggressive regime in the region names Iran with coarse language is the cause of our happiness,” Rohani told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
“Israel is upset to see that its sword has gone blunt and Iran grows more powerful day-by-day,” he said.