Iran has issued a strong warning to Israel after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly said that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had been “marked for assassination.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the statement, calling it a violation of respect toward Iran’s leadership and warning that any disobedience by Israel’s allies would be met with a firm response.

Araghchi referred to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, saying its terms were clear and open to all, and accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of promising to silence Israel’s “pets” in Tel Aviv. He added that if they defied their “master,” Iran would teach them a lesson. Katz’s earlier remarks, published in Israeli media, described Iran as a “bargaining merchant” seeking advantage through negotiations and vowed that Israel would never allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

Araghchi concluded that any threat against Iran’s people or leadership would be met with an immediate and powerful response, underscoring rising tensions between the two countries.