Iran claims US and Israeli threats against it are a blatant violation of international law and boasts that they cannot “do a damn thing” to hurt Tehran.
The comments come after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem yesterday and said their countries were determined to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its influence in the Middle East.
Netanyahu said Israel had dealt a “mighty blow” to Iran since the start of the war in Gaza and that with the support of US President Donald Trump, “I have no doubt we can and will finish the job.”
Speaking at a weekly press conference, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei responds: “When it comes to a country like Iran, they cannot do a damn thing.”
“You cannot threaten Iran on one hand and claim to support dialogue on the other hand,” Baghaei says according to state media.
Is our live election coverage important to you?
Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the 2026 Israeli election? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:
- Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock to report political developments as they unfold;
- Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and podcasts; and
- Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including our DocuNation streaming film series and weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.
Join The Times of Israel Community
JOIN NOW
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 17, 2025
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
