BEIRUT, October 4. /TASS/. The Iranian missile strike on Israel on October 1 was in defense against Israeli attacks on Iranian interests, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.
"If Israel attacks Iran again, an even more powerful retaliatory strike will be launched against it," the foreign minister warned at a news conference in Beirut.
Araghchi said he held talks with Lebanese leaders in Beirut on Friday and discussed with them the possibility of establishing a ceasefire.
"Iran stands firmly with its Lebanese friends and supports the resistance forces," he said. "We are confident that Lebanon will prevail."
According to the diplomat, if Hezbollah wants a ceasefire on the Lebanese-Israeli border, Iran would support this.
On October 1, Iran launched a massive missile strike on Israel in response to the assassinations of key figures in the leadership of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tehran said 90% of the missiles successfully hit their designated targets, while Israel said it intercepted most of the about 180 missiles fired by Iran. Israel Defense Forces General Staff pledged to choose a time and deliver a surprise response to the attack, while Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that strikes on Israel in that case would be even more powerful.