Iran has said it will respond “immediately and powerfully” to any attack by the United States, amid escalating tensions following the failure of preliminary contacts between Washington and Tehran on limits on Iran’s nuclear and missile program. According to information from CNNbased on sources familiar with the discussions, Donald Trump is seriously considering launching an attack.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that the country’s Armed Forces have their “finger on the trigger” to react to any aggression on Iran’s territory, airspace or waters. According to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the speech was a direct response to recent threats from American President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, a senior Lebanese Hezbollah official warned the US that an attack on Iran could “trigger a volcanic eruption in the region,” according to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV.
Take advantage of the stock market rise!
The rhetoric was reinforced by Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who stated on the X network that any US military action would be considered the start of a war and promised an “unprecedented” response, mentioning Tel Aviv as a possible target. The statements were also reported by CNN.
The escalation occurs in a context of internal instability in Iran. A human rights group claimed to have verified at least 6,000 deaths during recent protests and the regime’s repression, in addition to investigating another 17,000 deaths, according to information released by international media outlets.
The tensions are already impacting the markets. Oil prices rose on Wednesday and continued to rise this Thursday, amid fears of interruptions in global supply if there is a conflict involving Iran, an important producer of the commodity. Already the .
Continues after advertising
US sends armada to Iran
In a publication on the Truth Social network on Wednesday (28), he reiterated that the country cannot have nuclear weapons. The president also stated that a next attack would be more severe than the one carried out last summer, when American forces struck three Iranian nuclear facilities, as reported by CNN.
According to the broadcaster, among the options being analyzed by the White House are air strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, government institutions and security authorities linked to the repression of recent protests. Trump has not yet made a final decision, but sources indicate that he is considering having more military options after deploying an aircraft carrier strike group to the region.
The group led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln entered the Indian Ocean and is approaching Iran, with the capacity to support eventual operations and protect regional allies. The US has also deployed air defense systems such as Patriot batteries and plans to deploy THAAD systems. Additionally, the US Air Force began a multi-day air exercise in the Middle East.
Why did the US and Iran return to threats?
On the American side, Trump is evaluating the possibility of a new large-scale attack against Iran after the lack of progress in indirect conversations, which included messages exchanged through diplomats from Oman. There was initial discussion about a face-to-face meeting between authorities from both countries, but it did not materialize, according to sources heard by the CNN.
The diplomatic impasse involves American demands such as the permanent end of uranium enrichment, new restrictions on the ballistic missile program and the end of Iranian support for allied groups in the region. The main point of friction is the demand for limits on the range of missiles, rejected by Tehran, which accepts discussing only the nuclear issue.
US allies in the region have expressed caution. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have ruled out using their airspace or territory for a possible American operation against Iran, according to people familiar with the conversations, cited by CNN. In an interview with PoliticoTrump stated that it is “time to seek new leadership in Iran”, while American officials recognize that the scenario remains uncertain and with no signs of de-escalation in the short term.
