TEHRAN \u2014 Iran will regard US political assets and infrastructure in\ncountries involved in a new war against Tehran as \u201clegitimate targets\u201d\nif Iranian officials are killed or civilians die, a senior Iranian\nsecurity official has warned, according to the semi-official Fars news\nagency, amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington.<\/p>\n
The unnamed official said Iran assumes that the US and Israel will\nlaunch new attacks and does not consider diplomatic signals from\nWashington reliable. He said this view had strengthened after US\nSecretary of State Marco Rubio made remarks in Athens that Tehran\ninterpreted as offering historical and civilisational justification for\nWashington\u2019s war against Iran.<\/p>\n
He said Iran\u2019s political and intellectual leaders increasingly\nbelieve that US policy in the Middle East is directed by Israel, which\nthey see as preventing Washington from pursuing a diplomatic settlement.\nThe official also claimed that Israel takes priority in US President\nDonald Trump\u2019s Middle East policy.<\/p>\n
Iran now considers itself to be at war with the US, he said. Tehran\nalso views Washington\u2019s economic and naval blockade, as well as\nrestrictions on Iranian airspace, as a continuation of the military\naggression that began on 28 February. He said pressure from various\ngroups within Iranian society was pushing the government to take\n\u201cdecisive action\u201d to break the blockade, based on what Tehran calls its\nright to self-defence.<\/p>\n
The official added that Iran had instructed its operational units\nthat, in the event of a large-scale conflict involving the killing of\nIranian officials and civilians, US political assets and infrastructure\nin countries taking part in the war would be considered \u201clegitimate\ntargets\u201d.<\/p>\n
The warning comes as tensions between Tehran and Washington rise over\nthe US naval blockade and restrictions on shipping through the Strait of\nHormuz. The US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February, triggering a\nwider regional conflict. Subsequent diplomatic efforts have yet to\nresolve disagreements over the blockade and security arrangements along\nthe strategic waterway.<\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s warning also follows reports in Israeli media that dozens of\nIsraeli fighter jets flew close to Iran\u2019s borders earlier this week.\nSome US sources suspect the manoeuvre may have been intended to provoke\nan Iranian response.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ai-data-centres-to-undersea-internet-cables-us-assets-targeted-by-iran-if-war-resumes-1792651966", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }