Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Monday that the U.S. would face a “strong reciprocal blow” if it acted on President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb Iran unless a new nuclear deal is reached.
Khamenei’s statement comes after Trump reiterated his threat on Sunday, demanding that Iran accept his offer for talks outlined in a letter sent to Tehran’s leadership in early March. The letter reportedly gave Iran a two-month window to respond.
The Tehran Times reported that Iran has moved its missiles to launch-ready status in underground facilities built to survive air attacks, following Trump’s threats.
Iran warns US
In response, Iran sent a formal warning to Switzerland’s embassy in Tehran acting as an intermediary for U.S. interests stating that any threat would be met with a “decisive and immediate” response.
“The enmity from the U.S. and Israel has always been there,” Khamenei said. “They threaten to attack us, which we don’t think is very probable, but if they commit any mischief, they will surely receive a strong reciprocal blow.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned Trump’s threats, calling them “a shocking affront to the very essence of international peace and security.” Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei tweeted, “Violence breeds violence, peace begets peace. The U.S. can choose the course and concede to consequences.”
Amirali Hajizadeh responds
Meanwhile, Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Commander Amirali Hajizadeh warned U.S. forces in the Middle East, saying, “Americans have at least 10 bases in the region with 50,000 troops. They are in a glass house and should not throw stones.”
The U.S. withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under Trump’s administration, reimposing harsh sanctions and sparking tensions. Since then, Iran has significantly expanded its uranium enrichment, raising concerns about a potential nuclear weapons program, which Tehran denies, claiming its nuclear activities are for civilian energy purposes.
(With Reuters Inputs)