Iran supreme leader warns US and Israel against launching renewed strikes
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday warned the United States and Israel against returning to war, according to a written statement, following threats from the Islamic republic’s foes of a possible resumption of strikes. “If the enemies once again launch military or terrorist attacks, it is the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation that will determine the time and conditions for ending them,” said a statement attributed to Khamenei posted on his website. The remarks came during a reported meeting between Khamenei and senior military commanders, including armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi, army chief Amir Hatami and Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi. It was the first reported meeting between them. Khamenei has not been publicly seen since he became supreme leader, following his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s assassination in US-Israeli strikes at the start of the Middle East war in February. According to the statement, Khamenei ordered the commanders to ensure that “any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response”. It also said that Khamenei ordered the commanders to update Iran’s target list to include “all types of tangible and intangible assets belonging to the American-Zionist (Israeli) enemy”. The war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which swiftly responded with attacks on countries around the region. The supreme leader’s statement came as fresh diplomatic efforts were under way to avert a resumption of fighting. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Friday for talks with Iranian officials, after Iran reportedly received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance. According to Iranian media, Tehran had yet to respond to the letter.
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has cautioned Washington and Israel against initiating fresh military strikes, declaring that Iranian forces would retaliate across any geographic region.
In a published statement released on his website on Saturday, Khamenei declared that if hostile powers decide to launch further military actions, the armed forces and the Iranian public will decide when and on what terms the confrontation concludes. The warning comes amid concern that hostilities could reignite following warnings from foreign adversaries.
The announcement coincided with Khamenei's initial recorded discussion with top military leadership since assuming his role. Those in attendance reportedly included military chief of staff Ali Abdollahi, national army head Amir Hatami, and Revolutionary Guards leader Ahmad Vahidi. Khamenei has remained out of the public eye following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated during strikes conducted by the US and Israel when wider regional fighting erupted in late February.
During the session, Khamenei instructed defense leaders to prepare so that any emerging danger is met with an immediate, decisive, and geographically unconstrained countermeasure. He further instructed officials to revise and expand potential targets to encompass both physical and non-physical holdings connected to American and Israeli interests.
The broader conflict broke out on February 28 following joint strikes carried out against targets inside Iran, prompting Tehran to launch reciprocal assaults across neighboring territories.
The escalatory rhetoric emerged even as international envoys attempted to reduce tensions through quiet diplomacy. Envoys from Qatar traveled to Tehran on Friday for discussions with Iranian representatives, following the delivery of correspondence from US Vice President JD Vance. Local Iranian press reports noted that the government in Tehran had not yet issued a formal reply to the communication.
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VerifiedReported from Dawn (Pakistan).
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