Iran is issuing a warning to the US regarding potential airstrikes. This comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has been reaching out to Tehran, and the US has stationed warplanes on Diego Garcia. Iran fears that the US may be considering airstrikes if an agreement is not reached, and the Iranian government wants to make it clear that it will retaliate if these threats become a reality.
This is a risky move by Iran, which is using its nuclear program as a bargaining chip to potentially secure concessions. At the same time, Iran is seeking to strengthen its ties with Russia and China.
Iran is ramping up its rhetoric against the US to send a clear message. For instance, a video featuring Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a high-ranking Iranian official, was circulated online, in which he warns the US against striking. Hajizadeh, who heads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) aerospace unit, stated that Iran could retaliate by targeting US military bases in the region. "The Americans have around ten military bases in the region—at least near Iran—and 50,000 troops," Hajizadeh said in an interview with Iranian state media. "It’s like they’re sitting in a glass house. And when you’re in a glass house, you don’t throw stones at others."
Iran ups rhetoric against the United States, Donald Trump
Iran is stressing that, although the US may have the ability to carry out precision airstrikes on Iran, Tehran has the capability to strike American bases in the Gulf, including those in Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE. Iran believes this could make the US reconsider, as Iran can destabilize multiple regions.
In the past, Iran has used proxies to attack US forces in Iraq, carried out drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia in 2019, and has collaborated with the Houthis in Yemen to target the UAE. Currently, the US is retaliating against the Houthis with the USS Harry Truman carrier strike group.
Iranian state media has been filled with warnings to the US. One report condemned Trump's threats of military action against Iran, warning Washington of the consequences of any aggression. Another report mentioned that Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had formally warned the US Interests Section in Tehran against any hostile actions.
Additionally, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that any threats against Iran would lead to regret for its enemies. He pointed out that similar threats had been made in the past. In a recent interview, Araghchi made it clear that Iran would not engage in negotiations under pressure or threats. However, he said Iran would still be open to diplomacy if necessary, similar to past indirect talks.