The Iranian Revolutionary Guard stated on Thursday that Israel would face "a devastating and decisive response" if it attacked Iran, days after CNN reported that US intelligence indicates Israel is preparing to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
Official media quoted the spokesperson of the Revolutionary Guard, Ali Mohammad Naeini, saying, "They try to scare us with war, but their calculations are wrong as they underestimate the strong public and military support that Iran can mobilize in war conditions."
Tehran and Washington will hold a fifth round of nuclear talks on Friday in Rome amid sharp disputes over uranium enrichment in Iran, which the United States says could lead to the development of nuclear bombs, a claim Iran denies.
CNN, citing intelligence officials, added that it is still unclear whether Israeli leaders have made a final decision, indicating a difference of opinion within the American government on whether the Israelis will ultimately decide to carry out the strikes.
Diplomats say that the collapse of the US-Iran negotiations, or reaching a new nuclear agreement, does not diminish Israel's concerns about Iran developing nuclear weapons, which may prompt Israel to strike against its regional rival.
According to official media, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, described on Tuesday the US demands to stop uranium enrichment as "exaggerated and irritating," expressing his doubts about the success of the talks on a new nuclear deal.
Tehran says its nuclear program is intended solely for civilian purposes.
