Tehran to release confessions of captured Israeli pilots soon, says Iranian researcher

An Iranian researcher has stated that Tehran will soon release the testimonies obtained from captured pilots of downed Israeli F‑35 fighter jets and reveal the routes these aircraft used to infiltrate Iranian airspace.

Israel has denied Iran’s previous claims of having shot down Israeli aircraft.

International relations and South Caucasus expert Ehsan Movahedian, from Tehran’s ATU University, told Armenpress that the June 13 Israeli attack caught Iran by surprise—but Tehran responded quickly with counterstrikes.

Movahedian added that Israel is now trying to draw the US into the conflict after suffering losses, and said that a swift end to the confrontation is unlikely.

“Iran is trying to maintain its superiority over Israel. After the initial shock of the surprise Israeli attack - which was successful due to American deception and the promise of negotiations - Iran quickly took control of the situation and began firing missiles at Israel. These attacks used a variety of Iranian missiles and targeted Israeli military and intelligence targets. Unlike Israel, Iran does not kill civilians, but the country has built some of its military buildings in densely populated residential areas,” he said.

The analyst said that Israel's responses to Iran show that Israel does not have much power to confront Iran without American help.

“After Iran's successful attacks on the Haifa refinery, Israel was forced to seek American help to supply fuel for its fighter jets. Israel tried to create panic in major cities by launching drone attacks from inside Iran, detonating car bombs, and using traitors and some Afghan immigrants. But the Iranian people, working together and using the experience and expertise of the security and intelligence forces, quickly confronted this threat, and these attacks decreased sharply yesterday,” Movahedian said.

He said Iran shot down several US-made Israeli F-35 jets for the first time in the world. 

Movahedian said Israel can do nothing against "advanced Iranian technology and the unity and resistance of the Iranian people."

“Iran shot down several American F-35 fighters for the first time in the world using indigenous systems, and the confessions of their pilots will be released soon. As a result, it will be clear from which routes these planes entered Iran and where they refueled. Iran has not yet used its advanced missiles against Israel, but as you saw last night, Israel's Iron Dome system was not even able to intercept ten Iranian missiles, and its missiles fell on Tel Aviv. Israel can do nothing against advanced Iranian technology and the unity and resistance of the Iranian people, and for this reason it has resorted to bombing Iranian state television, killing journalists and terrorizing, and will probably seek extensive help from the United States in the coming days to save itself from destruction,” the Iranian researcher said.

Asked about Iran’s next steps in this situation, he stressed that Iran reserves the right to attack all military, intelligence and political targets of what he described as the “terrorist regime” of Israel. 

“Iran did not initiate this war, but given that Israel has violated all red lines, Iran reserves the right to attack all military, intelligence and political targets of this terrorist regime and defends its independence and territorial security by any means possible. Iran will avenge the blood of all the martyrs of this war on Israel, and the Zionists should immediately leave this fake country and think about living in other parts of the world," he said.

Asked whether the hostilities could end soon and nuclear program negotiations with the US could restart, he said, “Iran must first punish the aggressor Israel in such a way that it will not think of repeating this type of crime. Otherwise, there is a possibility of repeated Israeli attacks. Israel seeks to destroy Iran's nuclear and missile facilities, destabilize and divide Iran, and overthrow the Islamic Republic. Therefore, Iran will deal with the Zionists in a way that they do not have the courage and the necessary facilities to do so. If the United States accepts these facts and recognizes Iran's right to enrich uranium, negotiations are possible. Otherwise, Iran will not be deceived by the United States.”

The researcher stated that Israel is trying to draw the US into the conflict to “save itself.”

“This battle is a life and death battle for Israel. So it will continue for a long time. Israel insists on bringing America into this conflict to save itself, and in that case, this conflict will be very long and extensive. Even if this war stops for a while, it will not be long and Israel will use this opportunity to rebuild its infrastructure and weapons power to attack Iran again,” Movahedian said.

Israel launched what it calls Operation Rising Lion against Iran in the early hours of June 13, calling it a preemptive strike designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran has denied plans to develop such weapons. Tehran retaliated by launching counterstrikes on Israel. Both sides have accused each other of striking civilians.