Ahmad Khatami: The Cost of a U.S. Attack on Iran Will Also Include Israel

Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami threatened that if the U.S. attacks Iran, its ally, Israel, will also pay the price. According to Fars News Agency, a member of the Assembly of Experts, speaking during the Eid al-Adha prayers on Wednesday, August 31, stated that the cost of a potential U.S. war with Iran would be 'monstrous.' Khatami added, 'If there is an aggression against Iran, the cost will not only be borne by the Americans but also by their ally, the Zionist regime.' The Islamic Republic does not recognize the existence of Israel, and senior officials in that country have often spoken of its 'destruction.' Previously, Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated on Tuesday, August 30, that U.S. officials know what the 'consequences' of a military attack on Iran would be and 'what costs it would entail.' He also referred to the U.S. House of Representatives' resolution granting Congress the authority to approve military action against Iran as a 'sign of Iran's capability and power,' which, according to him, 'has made them understand that if anyone wants to invade Iran, they will have to pay a heavy price.' On May 24, the U.S. House of Representatives announced through an amendment to the 2019 defense budget that the U.S. government cannot take military action against Iran without congressional approval. Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, responded to Senate representatives that the Trump administration's pressure is not aimed at regime change in Iran. Despite the escalation of verbal warfare between Iranian and U.S. officials, some Islamic Republic officials have denied the possibility of military conflict. Meanwhile, according to Tasnim News Agency, Khatami also commented on the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, stating that the U.S. is not seeking negotiations but rather 'dictatorship in negotiations.' He pointed out that the U.S. will bury its desire for negotiations with Iran, adding, 'They should know that the Islamic Republic system stands against dictatorship and will continue to stand.' This member of the Assembly of Experts declared that Iran will not negotiate with the U.S., stating, 'Iranians know what the Americans did to the JCPOA; they inhumanely destroyed it.' The U.S. exited the JCPOA in May. Donald Trump, the U.S. President, cited the incompleteness of the JCPOA, its failure to cover Iran's missile program, and what he called Tehran's destructive role in regional peace and stability as reasons for exiting the nuclear agreement. The U.S. and its allies in the region have repeatedly criticized Iran's policies, especially its support for Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria and the Houthis in Yemen, accusing Tehran of financing and arming terrorist organizations, an accusation that Iran denies. In his remarks on Wednesday, Ahmad Khatami also stated that the U.S. has disrupted the JCPOA with the aim of including missile and regional issues in negotiations. He added, 'They say Iran sits on one side of the table and we sit on the other side. We say whatever we want, and you must accept it, but the Islamic system stands against this demand, stands, and will stand.' Previously, Donald Trump stated in an exclusive interview with Reuters on Monday, August 29, that he would meet with Iranian officials if they wanted, otherwise, it would not matter to him. He expressed this in response to Iranian officials' reactions to his offer for an unconditional meeting with their leaders. Trump, who has announced new sanctions against Iran, has recently expressed readiness to negotiate with Tehran, even without preconditions. On July 24, he stated, 'We are ready to reach a real agreement, not what was formed in the previous administration, which was a disaster.' His reference was to the nuclear agreement between the P5+1 and Iran, which he has repeatedly referred to as a bad deal. Trump's offer for unconditional negotiations with Iran to find a replacement for the JCPOA has elicited responses from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, and other Iranian officials. The Supreme Leader banned negotiations with the U.S. last week and also deemed the possibility of a U.S. military attack on Iran as unlikely. Hassan Rouhani also stated that the Islamic Republic is in 'interaction and negotiation' with 'the whole world,' and the Americans have also 'eliminated the conditions for negotiation' with Tehran. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, in his latest comments about dialogue with Iran, emphasized that if Iranian officials want to meet, he will, otherwise, it does not matter to him.