Top commander hails defiance of US, Israel on embassy takeover anniversary

A top Iranian military commander celebrated the anniversary of a student takeover of the US embassy in 1979 and said Tehran and its armed allies in the region would use all available means to confront its enemies.

Hossein Salami issued a statement on Sunday saying, "On the anniversary of the heroic seizure of the American spy den in Tehran, we issue a warning to the number one enemy of the Iranian people and its rabid dog, the criminal Zionist regime.”

Iran’s clerical rulers observe the "national day of the fight against global arrogance" and commemorate the "anniversary of the historic seizure of the American spy den," marking the November 1979 seizure of the US embassy in Tehran and the 444-day hostage crisis involving its staff.

Salami added, “The Resistance Front and Islamic Iran will equip themselves with all that is necessary for a victorious confrontation with the enemy, undeterred by the threats and posturing of the tyrants in Washington and Tel Aviv."

In recent days, a host of Iranian officials have threatened to retaliate against Israel’s October 26 air strikes that targeted Iran’s air defenses and missile installations but avoiding nuclear and energy facilities.

Washington directly warned Tehran on Saturday against launching another attack, saying it will not be able to restrain its ally this time, Axios reported citing an American official, amid reports of Iran's preparations for another strike on Israel.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that "the United States and the Zionist regime (Israel) will certainly receive a crushing response."

The Israeli Army Radio, citing unnamed American officials, reported that Washington has recorded military movements in Iran in preparation for an attack on Israel.

In a direct message sent to Iran through the Swiss, the Biden administration warned the Islamic Republic that Israel's response to a possible Iranian attack will not be as limited as the one launched last Saturday.

"We won't be able to hold Israel back, and we won't be able to make sure that the next attack will be calibrated and targeted as the previous one," a US official told Axios.

The US Central Command announced late Saturday, in both English and Persian, that B-52 Superfortress bombers deployed a day earlier have arrived in the Middle East. This can deter Tehran from a serious escalation, or possible attacks on US and other non-Israeli targets. Islamic Republic officials have repeatedly blamed the United States for Israel’s air strikes, saying that Washington supplied both the weapons and intelligence.