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‘Iranians willing to die, Americans aren’t': Ex-RAW chief Vikram Sood says West Asia conflict may ‘last longer’
Former R&AW Chief Vikram Sood on Friday said that the war between US-Israel and Iran may last longer than America had anticipated.
The conflict in West Asia entered its seventh day on Friday, with US-Israel pounding Iran's capital Tehran and other cities, as well as parts of Lebanon. Meanwhile, Iran launched retaliatory strikes on Gulf countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
With the confrontation now spreading, former R&AW Chief Vikram Sood on Friday said that the war between US-Israel and Iran may last longer than America had anticipated, ANI news agency reported.
Sood further said that Iranians were “willing to die” in the war, but the Americans “are not willing to die.”
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“It's difficult to say how long it will take, but I think it would last longer than what the Americans thought it would because they were hoping for a short, sharp strike and out,” ANI cited the former R&AW Chief as saying.
He further said that the Iranians were playing “a different game.” “They are knocking off America's allies, which is creating unrest among them against America,” he added.
‘Very heroic, very nationalistic battle for us’: Iran minister urges ‘ultimate resistance’
In line with Sood's remarks, Iranian deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh had earlier framed this conflict as a “very heroic, very nationalistic battle” for Iran. The minister urged the forces to put up “ultimate resistance” against the “aggressor.”
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“I think the priority right now is for Iran to exercise the ultimate resistance against the aggressor. We are under attack, under invasion by Americans and Israelis, and they are trying to impose maximum damage on Iran. As we are speaking, my fellow citizens are under constant attack by carpet-bombing, which is happening by Americans and Israelis,” ANI cited Khatibzadeh as saying.
The minister stated that Tehran is “under constant attack”, adding that the Iran had “no option but to resist to the last bullet…and the last soldier.” “This is a very heroic, very nationalistic battle for us, and we have to stop the aggressor and their atrocities in Iran. What is important is that everybody is supporting international law, and we hope that we are not cherry-picking international law,” he further said.
The deputy foreign minister said both the “principles of international law” and Iran were under attack, while urging everyone to “stand together against these atrocities.”
