The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Qalibaf, issued a strong warning on Friday, stating that Tehran would target US military bases in the region if the United States follows through on its threat of military action against Iran in the absence of a new nuclear deal. Qalibaf’s comments came during his live speech on Al-Quds Day, an annual event marking the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.
Qalibaf’s remarks were a direct response to US President Donald Trump’s recent statement, in which Trump outlined two potential courses of action for dealing with Iran: military action or reaching a deal. Trump also mentioned that he had sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, conveying this message. In his speech, Qalibaf emphasized that if the US attacks Iran, the entire region could erupt into chaos, and both US and allied bases in the region would be at risk.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, had already dismissed Trump’s letter as deceptive, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reiterated that talks would only be possible if the US abandoned its “maximum pressure” policy. Araqchi also hinted that despite the threats in Trump’s letter, it left room for diplomacy.
The tensions between the US and Iran stem from the US’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, which was an agreement between Iran and world powers to limit Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. After the US withdrawal, Iran exceeded the agreed limits on uranium enrichment, and the US reimposed sanctions, deepening the conflict.
While Western powers are concerned about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. The ongoing standoff and these latest exchanges highlight the volatile situation between the two countries.