Iran’s Parliament Speaker on the 12-Day War against Israel: Unity, Resistance, and Missile Retaliation

Resistance News Unfiltered

By lecridespeuples

Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Iran’s Parliament) Mr. Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, in an interview with IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting), addressed various dimensions of the Zionist regime’s imposed war against Iran. He outlined the pivotal role of the Commander-in-Chief Sayed Ali Khamenei, the importance of national unity, and the emergence of a resilient 90-million-strong core among the Iranian people in defense of the nation. He also revealed new details regarding Iran’s missile operations during this battle.

Source: Enemy Watch

Key points from the interview:

– Our dispute with the Zionist regime and with the United States is longstanding and complex. Some believe Iran’s problems with America began only after the Revolution, but in truth, over the past hundred years, we can see the clear footprint of the U.S. working continuously to weaken Iran.

– This means that, in their view, Iran’s sovereignty must lie in American hands—because the U.S. does not accept an independent Iran. A clear example of this is the nationalization of Iran’s oil industry.

– The Zionist regime acts as the gendarme of the United States in the region. There is a fundamental ideological and strategic conflict between us and this regime, and this clash has intensified under Netanyahu’s leadership.

– I believe that Netanyahu, as the Prime Minister of this regime, places hostility toward Iran, Iranians, and their beliefs as his primary focus even above the issue of Palestine. He believes that the Palestinian issue has either been resolved or is being resolved. Of course, he opposes the two-state solution and does not recognize the right of the Palestinian people to a second state, nor their right to self-defense, an army, or security institutions. In other words, he denies the Palestinians the status of a state and refuses to acknowledge them as the rightful owners of their land.”

– Netanyahu has always had differences with all American presidents on these matters. While they focused more on the Palestinian issue, he consistently focused on Iran. He believes that a strong, united Iran with its beliefs, civilization, and historical depth stands firmly against their ideology and expansionist ambitions.

– The Zionist regime’s strategic vision is rooted in the concept of the ‘Promised Land’ stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. This idea is deeply tied to global arrogance and supremacist ideologies held by those who believe themselves to be superior to all of humanity and fundamentally different from the rest of human society.

– The war initiated by the Zionist regime was undoubtedly coordinated with the United States, because no military, political, regional, or international action by this regime takes place without Washington’s approval. The real root of the aggression is the U.S.

– Netanyahu publicly outlined three goals for this attack: to change Iran’s political system, to strike at the foundations of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and to target Iran’s missile program.

– Today, the global media industry is in the hands of the Zionists. They spread whatever message they want, loudly and through various methods and platforms, shaping public perception. A review of analyses from American, Western, European, and Eastern think tanks clearly reveals this pattern.

– The Zionist regime was defeated in the 12-day war and failed to achieve any of its declared objectives. That is not to say we were unharmed war inevitably brings casualties. We lost over a thousand martyrs, many of whom were women, children, and ordinary civilians. However, by the end of this conflict, we secured significant achievements. One major success was that we prevented the enemy from reaching any of its three strategic goals, and in the process, we created new opportunities for ourselves.

But when faced with external aggression, particularly an attack by the Zionist regime, followed by direct American involvement, the entire Iranian nation stood united. The civilizational legacy, shared beliefs, and national identity all rallied around the central leadership of the Supreme Leader. In that moment, one unified voice rose. And this is precisely the power the Zionist regime has always feared.

– If we look again at history, at the Iranian plateau, we’ll see that it once stretched from the north to the south, covering nearly twice the land area of today’s Iran. But due to weak political systems and wars over the past 200 to 300 years, parts of it were lost. The last of these losses was Bahrain in 1971. These concessions all occurred under various political regimes. But the Iranian people always questioned and resisted these losses.

– Back then, it was the ruling systems that made those concessions. But later, during the imposed war, Imam Khomeini showed that one can stand firm in the face of aggression.

– During that war, Saddam and the Ba’ath regime weren’t acting alone. The entire East and West stood behind him. The Soviet Union provided military designs and tanks, the U.S. and its regional allies funded the war, France supplied Mirage jets, and troops from various countries joined the effort. Despite this, the system of Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist) and the political structure of the Islamic Republic managed to defend Iran’s land and Islam.

– I remember clearly, in the early months of the war, the Supreme Leader, who at the time was Imam Khomeini’s representative on the Supreme Defense Council, was on the frontlines. There, someone asked him, ‘Are we fighting for Islam or for Iran and the homeland?’ And he responded, ‘That is the wrong question, here, Islam and the homeland are intertwined. They are inseparable, one is the container, the other is the content.

– On the night of the attack, Martyr Salami and Martyr Hajizadeh were in the command bunker

In response to the program host’s question, “One of the main questions is whether Iran was caught off guard by the Israeli attack or not,” Mr. Ghalibaf said:

“The incident that happened on the first night was very huge and significant. Within the first two and a half hours, two major events occurred. I do not say that we were completely surprised by the war itself. That same night, Martyr Salami was in the command room and Martyr Hajizadeh was at his command post in the command room. Even if Martyr Salami was sitting in his own room and not in the bunker, Martyr Hajizadeh was in his command bunker.”

He added:

“They knew there was a possibility of enemy attack on those nights. Especially in recent weeks it was clear that things were happening, so we were not surprised by the fact that this war was about to take place or that it was imminent.”

Answering whether the first major strike was more of a terrorist attack than a war, he said:

“It was both terrorism and war. What surprised us was the method of operation that the Zionist regime used, and this is purely the nature of this regime. The essence of the Zionist regime is terrorism and they eliminate anyone who stands in their way, whether individuals, groups, organizations, or countries, without any limits. They do not recognize human rights, international laws, or any red lines.”

He continued:

“We were surprised by their method of operation. They started their work that way. At around 3 a.m. they began by targeting our commanders the Chief of Staff, commander of Khatam headquarters, commander of Aerospace, the commander of the IRGC, and subsequent levels, as well as the country’s scientists. My interpretation is that at first they targeted our brains who planned and should have led the designs. Next, they hit our ‘eyes’ — our radars. They used F-35s, F-16s, F-15s, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles launched from the air. These aircraft attacked based on information from interceptions, satellites, and definitely insiders. Therefore, their operation shocked us and we must admit it was a surprise to all.”

– Here, the Commander-in-Chief, the Supreme Leader Imam Khamenei, was the most unique figure who prioritized the armed forces and within hours appointed replacements to pull them out of shock. All new commanders were appointed within 3 or 4 hours. Don’t think these appointments were just formal orders read on the radio that was only for public information. We saw the Commander-in-Chief again, just like in 1980, in the war command room during the Sacred Defense in Ahvaz, personally issuing orders, briefing the commanders, and sending them to the front.

He added:

“Despite the blow we suffered in radar and losing commanders who were the brains behind the planning, commanders from that same generation with the same training and experience came forward — I know them personally. Within 17 to 18 hours, by Friday night, we launched nearly 150 missiles and 350 drones at the enemy. This was our military power and action.”

– In response to whether Israel did not expect Iran to recover so fast, he said:

“They thought they had hit our brain (commanders) and eyes (radars), and they even released a recorded video claiming their job was done and now it was Iran’s people’s turn to come to the streets. Meanwhile, the Supreme Leader has repeatedly said that the American and Zionist regime’s calculations about Iran, Iranians, and Iranian culture are completely ignorant.”

– Israel sought to destroy the sources of power in Iran because they consider us their number one enemy. When we say they aimed for overthrowing us, it was not just overthrow but an overthrow that would lead to the fragmentation of Iran. They do not want a united Iran with this geography because it is always a threat to them, and the Iranian nation understands this well.

– They aimed for an overthrow that would result in fragmentation, like the current situation in Syria and what they seek for other countries. Another important point is that our missile industry is our most important power. In all negotiations with the U.S., three topics were always raised: nuclear, missile, and regional issues, but we never agreed to discuss anything but the nuclear issue, and on that, we insisted on following it within the framework of the IAEA and NPT, without accepting any more restrictions.”

– According to the NPT, we have the right to enrichment. We have always told the people of the world, international organizations, our friends, and everyone that we never seek nuclear weapons, but enrichment is our right. They think that by targeting our scientists, they can end enrichment in the country, but enrichment is the result of our scientific activity, culture, and the scientific capability of our society, and it cannot be destroyed by bombing or killing individuals. On the contrary, the more of our scientists are martyred, the more powerful the path is pursued by increasing the number of scientists.

– The skies of Iraq belong to the U.S. and the skies of Syria belong to the Zionist regime

He added:

“We have never allowed and will never allow any negotiation on missiles. This issue, like enrichment, is one of our red lines. The Zionist regime, by its actions in the missile field, sought to destroy our missile power, but on the very first night, we fired 150 missiles. They have the U.S. behind them; the skies of Iraq are under U.S. control, and the skies of Syria are under the Zionist regime’s control. So, they have no limitations in the air domain, and they have many facilities and equipment and no limits to approaching our borders, nor do they get permission from any government. When we say the Zionist regime seeks territorial expansion, it includes land and air, and they do not tolerate any international law.”

He added:

“Ultimately, we responded seriously in the missile domain. Previously, during the ‘Promised True 1’ operation, they said these missiles were inaccurate and not serious, like water heaters. But you saw the firepower demonstrated that very first night. Over these 12 days, we became more accurate each day. They sought to destroy each of our missile bases by firing missiles from drones, collecting intelligence, and sending aircraft. But we performed well in both air defense against missile offensives and in maneuvering.”

– Our victory was not only that the enemy failed to reach its goals, but we also imposed military objectives on the enemy and emerged victorious. The land and sky of the Zionist regime were in our hands; from north to south and east to west, we targeted the regime’s research centers, military bases, airports, intelligence and operations centers, Mossad, important economic centers, and industries with pinpoint precision, becoming more accurate every day.

– The social resilience of the Zionist regime ended when they saw the precision of our launches. Their military doctrine always claimed that the occupied lands were their promised land and the safest place to live in the world. They said the Iron Dome would not allow any bomb or missile to land there unless it was destroyed at the source (launch point) or in the sky before reaching the Zionist regime. However, not only did they fail to achieve their goals, but our precise strikes and missile power increased to the point that their resilience ended. We had missile tests in the desert.

– To put it simply, it was as if we had opened a Shahid Hemmat highway from Iran to the Zionist regime, and missiles were regularly fired on it, but they could not destroy it. They said Iran confused them radar-wise, which was part of our design.

– There was even a day when we fired only one missile, but it hit the most sensitive point in Be’er Sheva, causing the greatest casualties. I want to say that during this war, we also conducted missile tests for future design; targets were known, the plan was known, missiles were known, and we hit the points. As we say, with our combat experience, we had excellent tuning in missile usage, missile firing, and disabling their radars to the extent that their defense system would kneel, become helpless, and they were pushed to a point where they tried to stop the war.

– They started the attack, and when they announced they had stopped, we said we should fire the last missiles and we did. This was our missile power and capacity. Every day until the last day, they became more vulnerable, and not only did they fail to reach their goals, but with our defensive power, we questioned their resilience. The result of a fake government, a usurped land, and an imported people is exactly this.

– We all saw what they did in Tajrish and how they targeted our people, forcing them to leave Tehran. But our people went to their own cities in other parts of Iran, while the Zionists were forced to return to the countries they came from. This social resilience weakness is because they have no land, no government, and no nation.

– This war also showed that if the Zionist regime were only itself, it would not last even a week militarily against the Islamic Republic of Iran, but it is the U.S. that supports them in all fields. So, in fact, we fought against the U.S., NATO, the West, and the Zionist regime on their behalf.”

– Israel means the U.S., the rebellious child of the U.S., the 51st state of America, which they direct and command, and nothing else.

– The outcome of the war for us means the Zionist regime’s security, defense, and intelligence doctrine has failed and can no longer promote itself as a safe place for investors. Their economy depends on tourism, but now they cannot fund their budget from this source. All their 80-year-old foundational plans have been disrupted; their entire investment security, especially in tourism, economy, and development, was damaged, and they became militarily vulnerable.

– The Zionist regime structurally collapsed. They invited others to come to Israel, promoted their economy and technology, but when the war began, they were sure they would win and nothing would happen to them. Yet, not only did they fail to reach their three goals, but this brought gains for us. We will see reverse immigration from the Zionist regime, with people returning to their own countries.

– During the war, when their airports were closed, Zionists traveled by ship to other countries, which means they suffered serious blows. They oppressed the innocent people of Gaza and destroyed the city, but now the images of destruction from Israel during the 12-day war have changed the situation completely.

– In response to a question about why Israel proposed a ceasefire, the Speaker said:

“This was due to our successes; Israel did not reach its goals, and our control over their land and air was effective. They claimed to destroy 70% of missiles and drones before they reached Israel, but you saw how we operated after 12 days of war. During ‘Vadeh Sadegh 1 and 2’ operations, we fired missiles once or twice per night, which was not a war but merely a response. However, in ‘Wada Sadiq 3,’ we were in a real battlefield, firing missiles continuously at them, gaining experience. We optimized and updated daily and finally reached a point in the last days where over 90% of our missiles hit their targets.”

– By disabling the air defenses of the Zionist regime’s military centers, we continued our military operations. The regime’s research center announced 3,520 wounded, but their leaders claimed only 28 deaths, which is a lie. Statistically, the ratio of deaths to wounded is about 6 or 7 per 100 wounded, so from 3,520 wounded, there should be at least 500 deaths. For example, when a bus crashes and has 100 wounded, about 10 deaths occur. These are scientific standards. Therefore, they suffered damage in all aspects; they are stalled in development and growth, and tactically and technically deficient, failing to meet their goals.”

– Today, the hard core of the Islamic Republic of Iran is 90 million people, which is important for us. The enemy’s miscalculations caused the saying ‘the enemy becomes the cause of good, if God wills.’ The sincerity, zeal, and oppression of the Iranian people alongside their power and affection shown are some of the great events that happened overnight in the country. God created this heart transformation, and the entire nation united. This great capital was not only for the Iranian community but extended to the Islamic Ummah and even to humanity at large.”

– American and Iranian universities in the U.S., Canada, and Western countries entered the scene, carrying the Iranian flag and standing firmly against a few traitors, who were disgraced. During this war, Sheikh Al-Azhar and the Imam of the Haram Mosque defended Iran; the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt supported us; Shia authorities in Iran, Iraq, and elsewhere, as well as Sunni scholars, also supported Iran. It was as if a new Tobacco Movement had been declared. All these are our gains. The song ‘Boom Boom Tel Aviv’ had one billion viewers. We never had such media work and public diplomacy inside Iran. Also, we saw how Iranians treated those who claimed freedom. People composed songs and music in support of the country. A singer who chanted ‘Death to the Israeli Army’ was banned from entering the U.S. In the UK, opponents of the Zionist regime were also banned.

– Iran is not alone, and this is a great asset nationally, regionally, and globally. Anyone who opposes the Zionist regime’s brutality came forward. These are the same assets considered as great and lasting victories and spiritual capital for our country.”

– Today, the question is whether negotiations with the U.S. will happen or not. I ask people and youth to pay close attention. The question used to be why you don’t negotiate with the U.S. The JCPOA, regardless of good or bad, weak or strong, merits or flaws, was approved, but in 2016 when Trump came to power, he tore it up and destroyed it. Still, this year, we came back to the negotiation table indirectly and had scheduled the sixth round. Meanwhile, Israel attacked us, and the U.S. cannot say they had no connection because Israel does nothing without U.S. permission. Ultimately, the U.S. also directly entered the war and later stopped it.

– When we talk about American ‘honesty,’ this is what we mean. Of course, this doesn’t mean not talking at all. We believe diplomacy itself is a form of struggle, just like missiles are a method of fighting. We are dealing with an enemy, and trusting them is reckless—but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t speak. We saw that even in the JCPOA talks we spoke, yet they eventually tore it up.”

– Currently, if talks are raised, know this: just as we do not accept imposed war, we will not accept imposed peace. Today, the whole nation supports us and the world backs us because they know that if we talk, we have solid arguments. For the Americans, negotiation means obeying everything they say—this is unilateralism, which we reject.”

– Years ago, I said negotiation is a way to show the world America is not sincere about peace or talks. Wherever their one-sided interests are met, they accept it. They neither respect international law nor know humanity or honor they only care about their unilateral demands, no matter who it’s against.

– Nuclear issues will definitely come up again, and our stance is clear. Nuclear technology is our right, not just a red line but beyond red lines, because it is based on the NPT and all countries have the right to enrich uranium. They want to deny us enrichment, which is absurd. If negotiation happens, first the Americans must clearly answer why they attacked us while we were at the table. They must guarantee they will not attack again which they will not do. If they are honest, they must compensate for their violations of international law. At minimum, negotiations must produce a logical answer to global public opinion—this is necessary.

– They may continue their actions. That’s why the world and people (except their accomplices) admire us and condemn them. Recently, the German Chancellor admitted Israel carries out all the West’s dirty work. So the trash bin is here doing all the dirty jobs. That’s who we are dealing with.”

– But human conscience thinks differently. Not all countries follow them. The Global South countries united and supported us. So talking is necessary but there is no reason to accept their bullying, pay bribes, give up rights, or cross our red lines.”

He emphasized two key points for negotiation:

1. Establishing stable security in the region

2. Ensuring Iran’s economic benefit lifting all U.S. sanctions (human rights, terrorism, nuclear excuses) so Iran can have real economic growth and free trade. Our central bank, oil, and economic capacities must be freed. These are strategic topics on the table.

– We have made great gains despite material and spiritual losses, including the martyrdom of precious individuals. We couldn’t have reached the capabilities we gained in the 12 days of war by testing hundreds of missiles in drills. This is an invaluable experience that money cannot buy. We will strengthen our power elements even more.

– If they could continue, they wouldn’t stop for a moment. They couldn’t and didn’t, so we won. This war brought technical, military, social, and spiritual gains for Iran.

A Regarding criticisms that the war should have continued longer to break Israel: Some think we could have destroyed or toppled the Zionist regime with military power alone or by firing more missiles until they ran out. I believe our power is not just military. We have other capacities that can put them in their place, and they must see that day, just as they saw Iran’s achievements in the 12-day war.

– Today, America, which expels Iranian and Palestinian supporters from Columbia University, must know if this injustice continues, if America supports Israel and continues down this path, including military actions like this war, it will receive a strong response. These achievements are the main strategic reason why the entire Islamic Ummah and humanity stand against them. They cannot stand against the will of nations and peoples. This is the strategic outlook.

– Today, the measure of judgment by our people, as it is known, is the “Iran Check”, who is with Iran and who is not. Look at Iranians abroad; we may disagree fundamentally, but it reached the point where someone who was interviewed by Iran International said no one should give interviews to Iran International. This itself is a major achievement.

– Before this, you would see people who never came to national media, like Mr. Shams al-Wa’izin. Some athletes too. On the early morning of that Friday, when our volleyball players had a world competition, they entered the field with a “military salute.” Who told them? No one told them; it was inside them the core strategic advantage against enemies. Everyone got involved. Recently, over 450 people inside and outside the country signed a letter defending Iran.

– Look at Iranian rappers; they may say a lot, but today Iranian rappers stood up and pushed all opposing rappers out of the field in defense of Iran. These are all capacities that emerged. Even unveiled women stood to defend Iran. This is the reality of the words of Martyr Soleimani, who said “This unveiled girl is also my daughter.” These days, we saw an unveiled girl putting the Iranian flag on her story to defend her homeland.

– Today, I tell my martyred friends, Martyr Kazemi and Martyr Bagheri, I wish you were here to see all of Iran rising stronger than in 1980, when all East and West, led by the Ba’ath party, attacked us. Our youth of the 2000s are much stronger and more sincerely committed than the youth of the 1980s, of which we were part and fought in the Sacred Defense. Iran is alive; servitude and manliness are the history, culture, and belief of this country. I salute the honor, generosity, manliness, courage, and love of this people.

– During this period, we saw a baker who, despite his brother being martyred, stood at the oven and did not leave because people needed bread. We saw a child offering cool water and syrup to people waiting in line for gasoline. People who consumed less electricity and water. This brotherhood, fraternity, and dignity are important, and individuals’ tastes and religions do not matter. What matters is the homeland and Islam are intertwined. What matters is humanity standing against oppression and tyranny. What matters is the Iranian and Islamic courage and determination standing against the enemy. There is no greater victory than this. We proudly sacrifice ourselves for such a nation.