Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a stern warning to the United States, vowing a strong retaliatory strike if Washington follows through on President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb Iran over its nuclear program.
The warning comes after Trump reiterated on Sunday his intention to take military action and impose secondary tariffs should Tehran refuse to negotiate a new nuclear agreement. The U.S. President had earlier sent a letter to Iran’s leadership in March, giving a two-month deadline to enter talks.
In a public address on Monday, Khamenei downplayed the likelihood of an attack but made it clear that Iran would respond forcefully if provoked. “The enmity from the U.S. and Israel has always been there. 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,” he said.
Khamenei also addressed internal unrest, hinting that any attempts to destabilize the country would be dealt with by the Iranian people themselves. Iranian authorities have accused Western powers of fueling recent protests, including the 2022-2023 demonstrations over the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody and the 2019 nationwide protests sparked by fuel price hikes.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking on Sunday, confirmed that Tehran had responded to the U.S. letter but ruled out direct negotiations with Washington, opting instead for indirect talks as guided by Khamenei’s directives.
The tensions come in the aftermath of Trump’s 2018 decision to unilaterally withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal—an agreement that had imposed strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Following the U.S. withdrawal, Iran significantly exceeded the deal’s uranium enrichment limits, prompting accusations from Western powers that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons capability—allegations that Iran has repeatedly denied, insisting its nuclear ambitions are solely for civilian energy purposes.
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