Iran’s military leaders ramped up their rhetoric against Israel on Thursday and promised retaliation for air strikes on the country last month even as the government said it was open to diplomacy over Iran' nuclear program.

The mixed messages show the contending goals of beleaguered civilian leaders eager to ease heavy international sanctions and an ascendant armed establishment dedicated to confronting Israel and the United States.

Iran would “choose the timing and nature of our response to the Zionist regime, and when the moment arrives, we will act without hesitation," Army Commander-in-Chief Abdolrahim Mousavi said. "Our response will be decisive and uncompromising.”

Other senior officials intensified their warnings. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Chief Hossein Salami said Iran was determined to respond.

“Our eyes are fixed upon you, and we will fight to the very end. Retribution will come; we will respond with painful blows—just wait and see,” Salami warned.

His deputy, Ali Fadavi, said the showdown would pit justice against falsehood, vowing the world would soon “witness the complete downfall of the Zionist regime.”

The warnings underscore the sky-high tension between regional arch-foes Iran and Israel, even as Iran's civilian leaders told the visiting head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it sought to negotiate over its disputed nuclear program.

In an escalating cycle of tit-for-tat attacks that began in April, Iran and Israel have increasingly targeted each other, with tensions reaching new heights.

Iran is now expected to retaliate following Israel’s latest move: a four-hour operation on October 26 that Israel reports significantly damaged Iran’s air defense systems.

Israel’s strike was itself a response to Iran’s October 1 missile barrage, which followed a series of high-profile assassinations attributed to Israel.

These killings included the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon and a senior Hamas political figure within an IRGC compound in Tehran, an incident widely seen as a stark breach of Iranian security.

Meanwhile, the Iranian government has signaled its readiness for diplomatic engagement on its nuclear program.

On Wednesday, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), arrived in Tehran to address international concerns over Iran’s nuclear activities.

“Iran is prepared to cooperate with the IAEA to clarify any supposed ambiguities,” President Masoud Pezeshkian assured Grossi, insisting on the “the peaceful nature of our nation’s nuclear activities.”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also highlighted Iran’s willingness to negotiate, saying, “We are ready to engage in talks based on our national interest and our inalienable rights, but we will not negotiate under pressure or intimidation.”

Following his meeting with Grossi, Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), adding, “Differences can be resolved through cooperation and dialogue.”

According to Reuters, Iran plans to send a message to European powers through Grossi, underscoring its determination to resolve the nuclear standoff with Western nations.