Tensions between the two countries rose dramatically last week after an Iranian air defence missile shot down a US drone in what Iran said was its airspace. Washington claimed the drone was downed over international waters, with President Trump later saying that he nearly ordered a ‘retaliatory’ strike which would have killed 150 Iranians.
The US military will get an even “stronger” response if it dares to violate Iran’s borders, Ali Larijani, speaker of Iran’s parliament, has warned.
“The downing of the American drone was an experience for them not to violate our borders. But, if they do it, the Armed Forces will give them a stronger reaction,” Larijani said, as quoted by PressTV.
Blasting US foreign policy and claiming that the US government was “the main cause behind [the] disruption of peace and security in the region and the whole world,” the senior parliamentarian also accused the US government of extorting and humiliating its Arab allies.
“US bullying behaviour is to justify entering the region, so that the Islamic Republic of Iran stood against the US’ wrongheaded policies and fought Daesh* by all means,” Larijani said.
The parliament speaker’s remarks are the latest in the back and forth barbs between Iran and the US in recent days following the downing of a stealthy $130 million US RQ-4 Global Hawk drone by an Iranian missile on 20 June.