Israeli Defense Minister: “The mission is not yet accomplished” regarding Iran

The Israeli Defense Minister said today (Sunday) that Israel has not yet finished dealing with Iran, renewing his accusations that Tehran seeks to possess nuclear weapons, something Tehran has always denied.

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz stated during an official ceremony, saying: “With regard to Iran, the mission is not yet complete. Iran is trying to renew its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons, along with other dangerous efforts that put the State of Israel in real danger,” according to what was reported by Agence France-Presse.

A spokesman for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard told Fars News Agency on Sunday that the United States cannot achieve its goals of besieging Iran's economy and closing its trade routes, because Tehran has made preparations and has close contacts with its neighbors.

According to Reuters, the spokesman, Hussein Mohebi, was responding to the US Army's Iron Gate task force, which was launched to tighten the noose on Tehran's transfer of advanced weapons systems and other sanctioned materials across its land borders and across the Caspian Sea.

“The Iron Gate plan is nothing but a play on words,” Mohebi said. “The Americans cannot achieve their goals of imposing severe economic pressure to cause an economic collapse in Iran, through this approach.”

Washington continues its moves to increase pressure on Tehran. After months of imposing a continuing naval blockade on Iran, the US military decided to form the “Iron Gate” task force.

The US Central Command (Centcom) announced that this force will be based in Tampa, Florida, and that it will coordinate its work with other government agencies. Besides weapons transfers, the task force will also focus on dual-use items and illicit sources of income.

General Brad Cooper, commander of Central Command, said in a statement: “Enhancing Central Command’s cooperation with partners across US agencies will further limit Iran’s ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories, and rebuild its military capabilities.”

In assessing the results of these pressures, US Central Command said that the naval blockade it imposed prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion worth of crude oil.

The news platform affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Oil (SHANA), citing the Tehran Refinery Public Relations Office, reported that the dense smoke and flames seen rising from the refinery today (Sunday) were caused by the operation of excess gas burning systems following electrical and technical problems.

Reuters news agency quoted the platform as saying that the systems were activated to drain excess gases in accordance with industrial safety procedures.

She confirmed that no fires had broken out in the refinery's processing units, and that the situation was under control, adding that the teams were working to restore the normal flow of operations. It stated that fuel production and supply continued without interruption.