Iran warns of retaliation as Trump signals further strikes
Iran has warned that US political assets and infrastructure in countries involved in a renewed war against Tehran could become targets of retaliation if Iranian officials are assassinated or civilians killed, as US President Donald Trump signals the possibility of further military strikes.
A senior Iranian security official, cited by the semi-official Fars News Agency on Wednesday, said Tehran expects the United States and Israel to launch another attack and considers Washington’s diplomatic overtures unreliable.
The official said Iranian authorities had instructed operational units to treat US political assets and infrastructure belonging to countries participating in a future conflict as legitimate targets under what Tehran considers its right to self-defence.
Trump leaves door open to renewed attacks
Trump said Thursday that Washington could carry out further strikes against Iran, claiming US forces had already inflicted significant damage.
“We’ve knocked the hell out of them, and we may do it a little bit further,” Trump told reporters at the White House before departing for a campaign rally in Iowa.
He defended the military campaign, saying Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, while acknowledging that the war carried political costs.
On Wednesday, Trump said the United States was not negotiating with Iran and predicted that “something one way or the other” would happen “fairly soon.”
The New York Times has reported that US and Israeli militaries have developed plans for renewed strikes following the US midterm elections, although it remains uncertain whether Trump will approve them.
Dispute over blockade and Strait of Hormuz
The warnings come amid continuing tensions over the US naval blockade of Iran and restrictions on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway vital to global energy supplies.
The United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering a wider regional conflict. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region and effectively closed the strait, according to the reports.
A memorandum of understanding was signed in June to pave the way for a final peace agreement, but efforts collapsed over disagreements that included navigation through the strategic waterway.
The Iranian security official said Tehran views the blockade, restrictions on its airspace and economic pressure as a continuation of the military aggression that began in February. He added that domestic pressure was mounting on the authorities to take decisive action to break the blockade.
Tehran questions Washington’s intentions
The official said remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Athens had reinforced Iranian suspicions about Washington’s intentions, with Tehran interpreting them as providing a historical and civilizational justification for the war.
He also claimed that Israel had disproportionate influence over Trump’s Middle East policy and was obstructing a diplomatic settlement. These assertions reflect Tehran’s position and were not independently established in the report.
The warning followed an Israeli media report that dozens of Israeli fighter jets had flown close to Iran’s border earlier in the week. US sources cited in the report suggested the operation may have been intended to provoke an Iranian response.
With diplomacy stalled and both sides signalling the possibility of further escalation, the dispute over military action, sanctions and access to the Strait of Hormuz continues to threaten regional stability and global energy transport.
Source:AA
