Iran will 'annihilate’ Tel Aviv and Haifa if Israel attacks, says Khamenei

Iran will "annihilate" the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa if it comes under attack by the Jewish state, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Thursday, asriran.com reported. 

"They should know that if they commit such a blunder, the Islamic republic will annihilate Tel Aviv and Haifa," Khamenei said in a live televised speech from the northeastern holy city of Mashhad.

In the speech, Khamenei said he is not opposed to direct talks with the U.S. to resolve its nuclear standoff with the West.

But he added that he's not optimistic that such talks would yield results unless Washington stops imposing sanctions against the Islamic Republic.