Iran speaker warns US of 'faster, heavier' response to new attacks

Disproportionate Retaliation

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned Washington on Sunday that any new attack on Iranian interests would trigger a "faster, heavier and more painful" retaliation, declaring that the era of "proportionate responses" between Tehran and the United States had come to an end. Speaking during a parliamentary session in Tehran, Qalibaf said recent Iranian military operations against US bases marked "only a beginning" of what Washington should expect.

Battlefield Narratives

"The Americans must have understood that the era of 'proportionate responses' is over," Qalibaf said, accusing US officials of using artificial intelligence to manufacture images and videos that distort battlefield realities. He claimed that missile and drone strikes on American facilities across the region had put the Biden administration under significant pressure, though he offered no evidence for the AI manipulation allegations.

Stalled Ceasefire

"If they have not understood it by now, they should understand before it is too late that the rules of the game have changed, and from now on, any aggression against Iran's interests and security will receive a faster, heavier and more painful response," he added. The speaker's remarks come amid a conflict that began in February when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iranian nuclear and military sites, prompting Tehran to retaliate with waves of missile and drone attacks.

Diplomatic Impasse

Iran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding in June — mediated by Pakistan and Qatar — aimed at ending hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, though both sides have since accused the other of violating the agreement as military exchanges continue. Tensions have persisted over sanctions relief and navigation rights through the strategic waterway, which remains a flashpoint in the wider regional conflict.