Tehran, Iran—Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday that there was “no exchange” of messages with the United States before Iran’s missile attack on Israel.
Iran on Tuesday launched a barrage of missiles at Israel in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah alongside Revolutionary Guards commander Abbas Nilforoushan in a strike on the Lebanese capital last week.
Iran’s missile attack also came in retaliation for the killing of Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a July strike in Tehran widely blamed on Israel.
“Before the attack, there was no exchange of messages,” Araghchi told state TV, adding that Iran communicated with the US after the attack through the Swiss embassy in Tehran.
“The main point of the message we conveyed to the Americans was that we were taking defensive action within the framework of the United Nations Charter,” he said.
“We have also warned the US forces to withdraw from this matter and not to intervene, otherwise they will face a harsh response from us.”
He added that Iran informed the US that the “operation is over and we do not intend to continue.”
The Revolutionary Guards said the missile attacks targeted “three military bases” around Tel Aviv as well as air and radar bases, adding that “90 percent” of the missiles “hit their targets.”
The missile attack was Iran’s second direct attack on Israel, after a missile and drone attack in April in retaliation for a deadly Israeli air strike on Iran’s consulate in Damascus.
Araghchi said Iran’s “action is concluded unless the Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation.”
Iran warned of a “crushing” response if Israel retaliated.
