Iran warns US attacks will face retaliation

Retaliation warnings

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei warned on Tuesday that any American military strike would draw immediate retaliation from Tehran, dismissing reports that Washington had secured a tacit agreement for Iran to refrain from responding to potential attacks. Speaking at his weekly press conference, Baqaei characterized suggestions that the US could attack without facing consequences as an "illusion," emphasizing that the era of American strikes followed by withdrawal without repercussions had ended.

"If our response is not stronger, it will certainly be equal in force," he said, referring specifically to speculation concerning a possible US attack on Pickaxe Mountain (Kuh-e Kolang) in Iran. The spokesperson also warned that Tehran remained prepared for the possibility of another Israeli assault, citing the continuing US naval blockade and persistent threats against the Islamic Republic.

Regional security

"We live with this possibility and face it day and night," Baqaei said, adding that Iranian forces had learned from past experiences and stood ready to repel any assault. He urged the United Nations to address the underlying causes of insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz, blaming continued American intervention for destabilizing the strategic waterway and calling on the body to prevent Washington from continuing destabilizing actions.

Baqaei rejected an Organization of Islamic Cooperation resolution expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia against Yemen’s Houthis, arguing that the conflict could not be resolved through military means. "The issue of Yemen cannot be resolved through force and military means," he said, calling instead for dialogue and urging neighbors to prevent foreign powers from using their territory to threaten other states.

Diplomatic context

The spokesperson stated that Tehran had not entered nuclear negotiations with Washington and therefore held no details of such talks to discuss with Russia or other parties, rejecting speculations that Iran had softened its positions. He described a recent US message as "insufficient and incomplete," noting that Tehran had communicated its seven demands to Washington — including lifting the naval blockade and ending hostilities — which he said were neither new nor unreasonable.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Tehran, planned for months, covered bilateral relations and regional developments including the Caucasus, Ukraine, and the nuclear program, according to Baqaei. The spokesperson also addressed the recent visit of Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to Tehran, stating that discussions focused primarily on resolving technical issues causing border closures and strengthening bilateral ties rather than delivering political messages.