Khamenei says Israel war meant to ‘overthrow system’ in Iran

TEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that Israel’s attacks during last month’s 12-day war were intended to weaken the Islamic republic’s system and spark unrest to topple it.

“The calculation and plan of the aggressors was to weaken the system by targeting certain figures and sensitive centres in Iran,” said Khamenei during a meeting with judiciary officials.

During the meeting, excerpts of which were published in videos on his website, he said the move was meant to stir “unrest and bring people into the streets to overthrow the system”.

Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran on June 13, killing top military commanders and nuclear scientists.

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Iranian authorities said more than 1,000 people were killed in Iran.

During the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that the Israeli strikes “certainly could” bring about a change in the Iranian system.

“The Iranian regime is very weak,” he said during the interview on June 15.

Iran responded to the Israeli attacks with drone and missile fire, killing 28 people in Israel, according to Israeli authorities.

On June 22, Israel’s ally the United States launched unprecedented strikes of its own on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz.

Iran hit back with missile strikes on US Al-Udaid airbase in Qatar, which Khamenei described on Wednesday as a “big blow” to the US and warned that “even greater strikes can be dealt to the US and others.”

A ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in place since June 24.

Israel’s attacks took place two days before Iran and the United States were scheduled to meet for a sixth round of nuclear talks which had begun on April 12.

The talks have not since resumed.

Tehran has reiterated that it remains open to diplomacy provided that Washington offers guarantees it will not resort to military action against the Islamic republic.

On Wednesday, Iran’s parliament ruled out negotiations without meeting certain “preconditions”, not giving specifics.

Khamenei said Iranian diplomats and the military should exercise “care and precision” in the path ahead, without elaborating.

“Whether we enter the field of diplomacy or the military arena… we will enter from a position of strength.”