Iran unimpressed by Israeli threats against its nuclear programme

The speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has shrugged off Israeli threats targeting the country's controversial nuclear programme.

This is "nothing but empty talk," the former general said on Wednesday, in response to a question from journalists in Tehran, the state agency IRNA reported.

On Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said that his country would be able to concentrate on the conflict with Iran after a ceasefire was secured in Lebanon.

The Lebanese Hezbollah militia is considered Iran's most important non-state ally. Earlier, the Foreign Ministry in Tehran had welcomed the ceasefire agreed between Hezbollah and Israel.

Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai said that now was the time to exert pressure to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza war as well.

Regarding further escalation between Iran and Israel, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in Lisbon that Iran reserves the right to respond to the air attack at the end of October, "but also takes into account other developments in the region, such as the agreement on the ceasefire in Lebanon."