Iranians protest in Tehran following Israel’s strikes on June 13, 2025.
In the wake of Israel’s large-scale airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites on June 13, 2025, Iran’s leadership has issued fierce condemnations and vowed retaliation. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denounced the Israeli operation as a “wicked and bloody” act and warned that Israel would suffer “a bitter fate” for its “crime”reuters.com. Khamenei instructed Iran’s armed forces to exact “severe punishment” against those responsible al-monitor.com, and he swiftly appointed new top commanders to replace senior officers killed in the strikes, signaling resolve and continuity al-monitor.com.
Iran’s military leadership echoed Khamenei’s stance. Major General Mohammad Pakpour – newly elevated to head the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after its commander was killed – pledged “the gates of hell will open to the child-killing [Israeli] regime” in retaliation reuters.com. Similarly, Iran’s army commander Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi confirmed that the Supreme Leader has ordered a forceful response to the “criminal and aggressive” Israeli attacks, vowing that “the blood of the martyrs will not remain unavenged” al-monitor.com. The Iranian Armed Forces and IRGC have thus publicly committed to a decisive reprisal once they choose the time and place.
Diplomatic and government officials have framed the Israeli strike as an act of war and a violation of Iran’s sovereignty. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council branded Israel’s surprise onslaught a “declaration of war”, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a formal letter to the U.N. Security Council, vowed that Iran would “respond decisively and proportionally” to Israel’s “unlawful” aggression al-monitor.com al-monitor.com. Iranian officials also urged international condemnation of the attack as an illegal act of aggression. The government in Tehran has strongly protested through diplomatic channels, with the Foreign Ministry calling the strikes a blatant breach of international law and warning that Iran’s response will be commensurate and “decisive” al-monitor.com.
Military Developments and Retaliatory Moves
Iran’s immediate military response to the Israeli attack has been relatively restrained so far, but signs of retaliation are emerging. In the hours following the strikes, Israel claimed that Iran launched around 100 armed drones toward Israeli territory, though Israeli air defenses (and even Jordan’s air defenses) intercepted the drones before they could cause damage al-monitor.com. Iranian authorities denied launching those drone swarms, and no direct hits on Israel were reported reuters.com. Nonetheless, Iran’s armed forces have been placed on high alert, and air defense units and missile forces are reportedly repositioning to defend against further strikes and prepare offensive options. Tehran has also imposed nationwide internet restrictions for security, indicating the regime’s mobilization under “extraordinary conditions” as it assesses the damage and plots its next steps al-monitor.com.
Iranian leaders insist that retaliation is certain, even if not immediate. Military planners are likely weighing a range of responses – from direct missile strikes on Israeli targets to asymmetric attacks through regional proxies. Iran’s regional allies and proxy forces have issued their own warnings. In Lebanon, the Hezbollah movement (which is backed by Tehran) condemned Israel’s actions and warned that the strikes “threaten to ignite the region” into a wider war aljazeera.com. Hezbollah’s statement decried the Israeli attack as a “brutal aggression” and hinted that continued escalation could trigger a broader conflict engulfing Israel and its neighbors aljazeera.com. From Yemen, the Houthi rebels aligned with Iran declared that Tehran has a “legitimate right to defend itself” and affirmed Iran’s “full… right to respond by all possible means” against Israel aljazeera.com. The Palestinian group Hamas also labeled the Israeli strike a “dangerous escalation” threatening regional stability aljazeera.com. These statements suggest that militant groups across the region could open new fronts against Israel if fighting intensifies, although no major proxy attacks had been reported in the immediate aftermath.
In Iraq and Syria, where Iran wields influence through Shi’a militias, the situation remains tense. The Iraqi government in Baghdad strongly condemned Israel’s “military aggression” and filed a complaint to the U.N. Security Council, protesting that Israel violated Iraqi airspace to carry out the raids aljazeera.com aljazeera.com. While Iraqi paramilitary groups loyal to Tehran have not openly announced retaliation at this stage, U.S. forces in the region are on elevated alert for possible strikes. In fact, the United States preemptively evacuated non-essential embassy staff from Iraq this week as a precaution, anticipating that Iran-backed militias might target American or Israeli interests in response to the Iran attack al-monitor.com. Similarly in Syria, any remaining pro-Iran units could seek to harass Israeli or U.S. positions, though Israel’s prior operations have significantly weakened Iran’s military foothold there reuters.com. Overall, Iran’s network of allies is signaling preparedness to act, even as Iran itself calibrates a direct military reply. Iranian officials have emphasized that when the response comes, it will be “severe” and carefully targeted reuters.com al-monitor.com.
International Reactions from Key Allies
International partners closely allied with Iran have rallied to Tehran’s side, condemning the Israeli strike and urging de-escalation. Russia: The Kremlin expressed grave concern at the outbreak of hostilities. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the “sharp escalation of tensions” caused by Israel’s actions, and Moscow signaled opposition to unilateral military force in this situation aljazeera.com. Russia supported Iran’s call for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting to address the crisis, reinforcing its role as a diplomatic backer of Tehran aljazeera.com. While stopping short of any direct military intervention, Russia’s messaging blamed the Israeli attack for destabilizing the region and called for restraint to prevent a wider war. Officials in Moscow have emphasized the need for dialogue and warned against further strikes that could spiral into a broader conflict.
China: Beijing likewise voiced strong concern and aligned with Iran diplomatically. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it is “closely following developments” and is “deeply concerned about the grave consequences” of Israel’s operations aljazeera.com aljazeera.com. China urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any steps that would inflame the crisis aljazeera.com. Emphasizing stability, China’s spokesperson affirmed that Beijing is “ready to play a constructive role” in cooling down the situation aljazeera.com. China also backed Iran’s request for a U.N. Security Council discussion, positioning itself against the Israeli use of force and in favor of a negotiated resolution aljazeera.com. Both China and Russia have leveraged their U.N. veto powers to ensure Iran’s perspective is heard, underlining their strategic support for Tehran in this confrontation.
Other international reactions further underscore Iran’s support from allies and even some rivals-turned-partners. Iran’s regional partners such as Oman and Qatar condemned the Israeli strikes as a reckless escalation, and even Saudi Arabia – which only recently restored ties with Tehran – issued a statement denouncing the violation of Iran’s sovereignty aljazeera.com aljazeera.com. Pakistan, a Muslim-majority nation and Iran’s neighbor, “strongly condemned” the Israeli attack and voiced solidarity with Iran aljazeera.com. Meanwhile, Western governments (including the EU, France, Germany, and the UK) have generally urged restraint on all sides – acknowledging Israel’s right to security but warning that a wider war must be avoided aljazeera.com aljazeera.com. The United Nations Secretary-General condemned the military escalation and called for immediate steps to prevent a “descent into deeper conflict” aljazeera.com.
Russia and China, however, remain the most pivotal allies standing by Iran. Their statements and actions make clear that Tehran is not isolated diplomatically: Moscow and Beijing are shielding Iran on the international stage and cautioning Israel against further military adventures. While urging calm, both powers tacitly criticize the Israeli strike and lend political support to Iran’s position. This international backing, combined with the militant rhetoric of Iran’s regional proxies, bolsters Tehran as it weighs how to retaliate. All indications are that Iran’s response – whether directly or through allies – is forthcoming, and the world is bracing for the consequences of this sudden and dangerous escalation in the Middle East reuters.com al-monitor.com.
The information is current as of June 13, 2025, and reflects the unfolding situation following Israel’s attack on Iran’s territory.
Note: This research was none using ChatGPT’s deep research feature.
