Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman on Monday warned against what he called “regional threats” of Israel and called the latest US-led military flight over regional waters "provocative", the Xinhua news agency reports.
Asked about Israel’s allocation of $1.5 billion to counter Iran's nuclear program, the spokesman, Saeed Khatibzadeh, responded that Iran has ignored the threats posed by Israel against stability and security in the region.
"Basically, the nature of this regime is creating crisis, and the roots of this regime are growing in insecurity and instability," Khatibzadeh was quoted as having said during his weekly press conference.
Israel is well aware of Iran's capabilities and its own limitations, and also knows that Iran is serious about its security, he added.
"We closely monitored and followed it in details," the Iranian spokesman said. "Those who carried out these provocative actions know that it was a colorless show not worth paying more attention to."
Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman recently said that "a confrontation with Iran is only a matter of time, and not a lot of time."
Liberman stated that "no diplomatic move or agreement will stop the Iranian nuclear program", adding, "This is a problem of the international community but first of all ours because they have stated that their policy is the destruction of Israel, and they do mean it."
The back-and-forth comes as talks between Iran and world powers on the 2015 nuclear deal remain stalled.
Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal it signed with world powers in response to former US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement in May of 2018.
The previous Iranian government, headed by former President Hassan Rouhani, had been holding indirect talks with the Biden administration on a return to the agreement.
However, the negotiations were adjourned on June 20, two days after Ebrahim Raisi won Iran's presidential election, and no date has been set for a resumption of dialogue.
Last week, Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran's new chief negotiator on the nuclear issue, announced on Twitter that negotiations with western powers in Vienna over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program would resume by the end of November.
In response, the United States urged Iran to show “good faith” in returning to the talks, adding that “this window will not remain open forever as Iran continues to take provocative nuclear steps”.