Shafaq News – Tehran

The conflict between Iran and Israel is not over despite the current pause in hostilities, the Iranian affairs expert Mohammad Ali al-Hakim said on Wednesday. 

Speaking to Shafaq News, al-Hakim explained that Israel initially believed it could dismantle the Iranian regime within five or six days, “But after Iran absorbed the shock, and responded with unexpected strikes, the assumptions were turned upside down,” he noted.

He also revealed that before the US strike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, Tehran had received warnings through a third-party state.

According to al-Hakim, Iran removed all 60%-enriched uranium from Fordow, relocating it to an undisclosed location. He added that following a parliamentary vote supporting withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), “it is not unlikely that Iran may take a final decision to exit the agreement.”

Al-Hakim argued that the war remains unresolved, as Israel failed to achieve its strategic goals. “Judging by statements from both US and Israeli officials, another round appears likely,” he expected.

Concluding that if a new round of conflict breaks out, Iran’s response would be “different and unprecedented,” al-Hakim suggested the use of new types of missiles and weaponry. He claimed that during the previous exchange, Iran had used only 20% of its missile capabilities.

On June 13, Israel launched the “Rising Lion” operation targeting key Iranian military and nuclear sites, in which senior Iranian commanders and scientists were killed.

Iran responded with a sustained ballistic missile strike on Israeli military bases in an operation named “True Promise 3,” targeting dozens of sites. 

The United States became directly involved in the conflict on June 22, conducting airstrikes mainly against Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, after which Iran targeted the US Al Udeid base in Qatar. Shortly, a ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump on June 24, ending 12 days of escalation.