Iran reserves right to react to Israeli airstrikes, welcomes Lebanon ceasefire

By Sergio Goncalves and Miguel Pereira

LISBON (Reuters) -Tehran reserves the right to react to Israeli airstrikes last month on Iran but also bears in mind other developments in the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday.

Araghchi told reporters during a trip to Lisbon that Iran welcomed Tuesday's ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and hoped it could lead to a permanent ceasefire. The ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah came into effect on Wednesday under an agreement brokered by the United States and France.

Asked whether the ceasefire could lead to an easing of tensions between Israel and Iran, he said: "It depends on the behaviour of Israel."

"Of course, we reserve the right to react to the recent Israeli aggression, but we do consider all developments in the region," he said.

Israel struck targets in Iran on Oct. 26 in retaliation for an Iranian missile barrage against Israel on Oct. 1.

Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said in an interview published by Iran's Tasnim news agency on Sunday that his country was preparing to "respond" to Israel.

Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday Hezbollah had been "set back decades", Araghchi said the armed group had not been weakened by Israel's killing of many of its leaders since January and by its ground offensive against the group since early October.

Hezbollah has been able to reorganise itself and fight back effectively, Araghchi said.

"This is the main reason why Israel accepted the ceasefire...every time they (Hezbollah) lose their leaders or their commanders, they become bigger in both numbers and their strength," he said.

His remarks echoed comments by a senior Hezbollah official, Hassan Fadlallah, who said the group would emerge from the war stronger and more numerous.

(Reporting by Sergio Goncalves and Miguel Pereira, writing by Andrei Khalip, editing by Timothy Heritage)