Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says if Israel makes a decision to act against the Islamic Republic, it will not have enough time to implement it before anything is left of the country.

During a press conference on Monday, Raisi noted that Israel did not want Iran to acquire nuclear technology in the first place, “but this knowledge has become native to our country and it cannot take it away from us.”

Referring to Israeli efforts to sway the West from returning to the 2015 nuclear deal, he said that their efforts will ultimately turn out to be in vain, adding that “the assassination of nuclear scientists was to stop the nuclear program, many sabotage operations were also meant to stop us but we did not stop; They will not stop us and they cannot stop us from getting this absolute right.”

Reiterating threats against Israel, Raisi said that “the Zionist regime should see that it cannot even protect itself from the resistance groups in Palestine with its threats.” Israel used to face “the Palestinians' stones” but now they have to deal with “their precision-guided rocket launchers,” he noted. “Can they keep themselves safe? Can the Zionists defend themselves against Gaza despite the fact that its oppressed people are under blockade?”

Iran, which uses the term ‘resistance groups’ to refer to its proxy forces in the region, finances and arms Palestinian and other militants against Israel and Western interests.

Israel has stepped up efforts to dissuade the US from reviving the landmark nuclear pact, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. The director of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad is set to travel to Washington DCnext week following trips by National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata and Defense Minister Benny Gantz.