Member of Parliament: The Supreme National Security Council Decided on the 'Response' to Israel

Ismail Kowsari, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, announced that the 'final decision regarding a military response' to Israel has been made by the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran. These remarks come at a time when all major decisions in the Islamic Republic are made with the permission of Ali Khamenei. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, in this regard, threatened the United States and Israel with military retaliation during a speech on Saturday, marking the anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover by a group known as 'students following the line of Imam' on November 4, 1979, promising a 'crushing response.' Ismail Kowsari, who is also a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated in an interview with the 'Iran Watch' website published on Saturday, November 12, that 'almost unanimously, or let’s say all members of the Supreme National Security Council have agreed to Iran's military response to Israel.' He mentioned that the timing of the Islamic Republic's attack, referred to as 'Promise of the Truth 3,' is also at the discretion of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and added, 'The targets have also been assigned to the planners.' Kowsari also referred to the coordination between the Islamic Republic and its proxy groups as 'resistance groups in the region,' stating that they 'are aligned and in sync with our military forces. Members of the resistance front may have opinions before the operations, wanting to provide input, but that is before the final decision.' He emphasized that Iran's military response, in conjunction with these militia groups, 'is certain, and we will definitely act.' This member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and other officials of the Islamic Republic refer to these groups as resistance groups, even though many of them are listed as terrorist organizations by several countries, including the United States. Simultaneously, Ali Mohammad Naeini, a spokesman for the IRGC, stated that the 'response to the new aggression' from what he called 'the enemy' would be 'certain and decisive.' Hossein Maroufi, the deputy coordinator of the Basij Organization of the IRGC, also emphasized that 'unfinished work must be completed,' identifying the unfinished work as 'the destruction of Israel' and stating that the people 'must steadfastly support' the missions. The Israeli army announced on the morning of November 5 that it had conducted 'precise and targeted' attacks on military objectives of the Islamic Republic in various regions of Iran. These attacks were in response to the firing of over 180 ballistic missiles from Iran to Israel on September 30. The Islamic Republic had also fired 320 projectiles, including suicide drones and ballistic and cruise missiles, at Israel on April 14. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that to ensure the safety of American citizens and forces in the Middle East and to support Israel, it had ordered the deployment of destroyers equipped with missile defense systems, fighter squadrons, refueling aircraft, and long-range B-52 bombers to the region. These bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, have been repeatedly deployed to the Middle East to warn the Islamic Republic. This is the second time this month that these strategic bombers have been sent to the region to bolster defensive capabilities.