JERUSALEM: Israel has no intention of deliberately harming the residents of Tehran, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said, walking back earlier comments he had made on Monday.

"I wish to clarify the obvious: there is no intention to physically harm the residents of Tehran as the murderous dictator does to the residents of Israel," Katz said in a statement.

"The residents of Tehran will have to pay the price of dictatorship and evacuate their homes from areas where it will be necessary to attack regime targets and security infrastructures in Tehran."