The streets were fairly quiet in the Iranian capital, usually a bustling metropolis of over 9 million people. Over the past few days, traffic has increased as more Iranians return to the city after fleeing Israel\u2019s bombing during earlier days of the conflict. <\/p>\n
Despite being the voice of a government exchanging blows with a nuclear power (and waiting on whether to expect fire from the United States), Mohajerani was relaxed. The first woman to serve as Iranian government spokesperson, she came into her role less than a year ago, appointed by President Masoud Pezeshkian last August. <\/p>\n
She noted that Iran has endured numerous cycles of negotiations about its nuclear activities, yet none have resulted in a sustained long-term deal. <\/p>\n
\u201cThese past years we\u2019ve been through a painful experience twice,\u201d Mohajerani said, pointing to US President Donald Trump\u2019s unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA agreement in 2018. <\/p>\n
No matter how eager Trump might be to bring Iran to the negotiating table, Mohajerani said Iran does not want to be left empty-handed again. And before talks begin, Israel\u2019s bombing must stop, she said, emphasizing a point made by multiple Iranian officials in recent days. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis time we were in the middle of negotiations again when this attack took place,\u201d Mohajerani said. \u201cTherefore, as our officials have already stated, as long as there are attacks, negotiations will be meaningless. When the attacks stop, we will think about it.\u201d <\/p>\n
Israel\u2019s initial, wide-ranging operation on June 13 killed some of the most powerful commanders in the Iranian military and damaged Iranian uranium enrichment sites. Since then, daily strikes have damaged its nuclear power plants, set its largest natural gas field aflame and obliterated the newsroom of one of the country\u2019s state-run media channels. <\/p>\n
Still, Mohajerani insists that Iran is ready for whatever the Israelis throw at them next. <\/p>\n
\u201cBoth the government and the nation of Iran are totally robust in defense,\u201d she said. \u201cOur military force is completely ready to prevent such attacks from happening again, and in case the need arises to practice legitimate defense.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had five operations,\u201d she said from her hospital bed. \u201cIn my abdomen area, my kidney, my liver.\u201d <\/p>\n
Iran\u2019s missile-and-UAV-driven response, meanwhile, has killed 24 in Israel, wounding over 1,200 others, according to figures from the Israeli government. Iranian missiles have struck deep within Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities, with one missile hitting a hospital. <\/p>\n
At the heart of the conflict is the future of Iran\u2019s nuclear program. <\/p>\n
\u201cNuclear energy does not mean war to us,\u201d Mohajerani said. \u201cIt means life to us. Therefore, since the subject of enrichment and the subject of life are the same path to us, not leading to war, we believe enrichment is our right.\u201d <\/p>\n
Nonetheless, Israeli officials have cast their bombing campaign in existential terms, going so far as to say that Iran\u2019s nuclear program poses a threat to the entire planet. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe act to prevent a huge threat\u2014primarily to the existence of Israel, but also to the entire region, Europe, and the world order,\u201d declared Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Rishon Lezion. <\/p>\n
It remains unclear whether Washington will join the fray. Trump has said he will decide whether to intervene within the next two weeks, but has already joined Israeli officials in publicly pondering the benefits of assassinating Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe know exactly where the so-called \u2018Supreme Leader\u2019 is hiding,\u201d Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on June 17. \u201cHe is an easy target but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.\u201d <\/p>\n
Mohajerani was blunt when asked about the possibility that Israel or the US might take direct aim at her country\u2019s head of state. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis shows that Israel does not understand the unity of the Iranian people,\u201d Mohajerani said. \u201cIsrael better not do something for which it can\u2019t pay the damage. The Iranian people are backing their leader.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cWe should not forget that for all of us Iranians today, Iran is a united concept, which we will certainly defend.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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