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Middle East conflict

US strikes 'untied hands' of Iran, Tehran has right to retaliate — Iranian top brass

The US had "directly entered the war by violating the sovereignty of Islamic Iran and encroaching on the sacred soil of our country," Abdolrahim Mousavi said

TEHRAN, June 23. /TASS/. Now that the US has attacked Iran, Tehran can justifiably take retaliatory measures against American interests and US military facilities, Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Lieutenant General Abdolrahim Mousavi said.

"The criminal United States <...> has untied the hands of Islamic warriors in [Iran's] armed forces to act against [the US] interests and the [US] army," Iran's state broadcaster quoted Mousavi as saying.

The US had "directly entered the war by violating the sovereignty of Islamic Iran and encroaching on the sacred soil of our country," Mousavi said.

In the early morning hours of June 22, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States had successfully attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Trump later said that the facilities were completely destroyed. Iran’s top brass, in turn, said that the US strikes were completely ineffective and threatened Washington with a tough response.

Overnight into June 13, Israel kicked off Operation Rising Lion, aimed against Iran’s nuclear program. Iran responded in less than 24 hours. In the following days, Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged strikes again. Both parties reported casualties and damage, and admitted that a number of facilities had been hit.

Reciprocal attacks between Iran and Israel are ongoing. Russia has condemned Israel’s actions and expressed its willingness to mediate in the Iran-Israel conflict.

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United States Iran

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