Abdolrahim Mousavi, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, has expressed skepticism regarding Israel’s adherence to a ceasefire that concluded their 12-day conflict earlier this month.
“We did not initiate the war, but have retaliated against the aggressor with full force. Given our serious doubts about the enemy’s commitment to the ceasefire, we are prepared to respond with force” if attacked again, Mousavi stated in an interview broadcast by state TV, six days after the ceasefire was declared by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
This statement follows Iran’s judiciary report claiming that an Israeli airstrike on Tehran’s Evin prison during the recent conflict resulted in the deaths of at least 71 individuals, shortly after the ceasefire announcement.
The strike on Monday caused significant damage to the administrative building at Evin, a large, heavily secured facility in northern Tehran, which human rights organizations allege houses political prisoners and foreign detainees.
Mr. Jahangir reported that the casualties at Evin comprised administrative personnel, guards, prisoners, relatives visiting inmates, and nearby residents.
Images released by the judiciary depicted destroyed walls, collapsed ceilings, scattered debris, and damaged surfaces throughout the waiting areas of the facility.
The judiciary confirmed that the medical center and visiting rooms at Evin had been struck.
A day after the incident, the judiciary announced that the Iranian prison authorities had relocated inmates from Evin prison, although they did not disclose the number or identities of those transferred.
Notable inmates at Evin have included Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, alongside several French citizens and other foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, the head of the UN’s nuclear agency has indicated that Iran may be capable of producing enriched uranium “within months.”
This assessment contrasts with US President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran’s nuclear program was significantly hindered by recent US airstrikes.
In an interview with CBS, Mr. Grossi acknowledged that the US stealth bomber raids caused some damage, but not complete destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Earlier this week, Mr. Grossi emphasized that it is a top priority for his inspectors to return to Iran’s nuclear sites to evaluate the impact of the military strikes on the nuclear program.
Germany Shows Support for Israel After Iran Conflict in First High-Level Visit
In a related development, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt conveyed support for Israel during a visit to a site affected by an Iranian missile strike near Tel Aviv.
This marked the first visit by a senior foreign official since the Iran-Israel conflict.
“We must enhance our support for Israel,” Mr. Dobrindt stated, standing among the ruins in Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, where an Iranian attack resulted in the deaths of nine individuals, including three children.
Read more: Latest Middle East stories
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the German visit as a gesture of “solidarity” and called upon the international community to reinstate sanctions against Iran.
On June 17, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, on the sidelines of a G7 summit in Canada, remarked that Israel was undertaking the “dirty work… for all of us” by targeting Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Israel has acknowledged facing over 50 missile strikes during the 12-day war against Iran, resulting in 28 fatalities; however, the full extent of the damage may never be accurately assessed due to strict media restrictions.
In Iran, Israeli strikes reportedly led to the deaths of at least 627 civilians and injured nearly 4,900, based on official statistics.
