Washington/Tehran – US President Donald Trump warned on Sunday that he had entered a critical decision phase in the ongoing war with Iran, cautioning that major developments would occur if Tehran failed to change its conduct.
“My question is if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They had better behave,” Trump told Fox News, detailing his approach to the war.
The US president described his current options as wiping the country out, allowing it to “rot” economically, or negotiating a deal, adding that “very big things are going to be happening in the not-so-distant future.”
When asked about the UN General Assembly high-level week, which starts on Monday, Trump signalled a willingness to engage diplomatically, saying he would “probably be open” to meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Addressing wider regional hostilities, Trump said Washington remained in constant communication with Yemen’s Houthis following their recent ballistic missile attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, asserting that the group agreed to avoid fighting American forces.
Iran warns regional states will be ‘considered complicit’ if US strikes resume
Iran received information that the United States, with the backing of some regional countries, was preparing to resume actions against Tehran, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC’s) joint military command, said in a statement on Sunday, according to state media.
The military said that any US had been given a “green light” by unnamed regional countries at a joint meeting in Europe to resume action against Tehran.
According to state media, the military added that any US attack would lead to Iranian retaliation “without any limitations or considerations” on US bases and interests. Regional countries involved in any US attack on Iran, the military said, should not expect restraint from Tehran’s armed forces and would be considered complicit and parties to the conflict.
Separately, Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, stated that US President Donald Trump had waged a foolish war on Iran and was foolishly continuing it, IRNA reported.
Rezaei added, however, that Iran “stands ready to give a stronger and more painful response should the US resume military aggression.”
“We have fully prepared ourselves for a decisive war, and the US’ military vulnerabilities are completely known to us. And we are far better prepared this time,” he said, according to IRNA.
The secretary further noted, “Netanyahu plunged Trump into a quagmire.” It was and is in the benefit of the US to accept Iran’s conditions and end the war because the more the conflict drags on, the worse the US’ situation will become, IRNA quoted him as having said.
Iran’s Army Ground Forces Commander Brigadier General Jahanshahi also noted separately that Tehran’s border units remained deployed and on constant alert in various border areas, Press TV reported.
Jahanshahi added that the units were prepared to counter any potential threats and to protect the country’s security and territorial integrity.
Ghalibaf vows to ‘deal devastating blows’ to enemy at ‘critical moment’
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said “one must both fight and negotiate.” He added, “This means at the critical moment we must push the enemy back and deal them devastating blows using our full military might,” Al Jazeera reported.
“However, once we have achieved significant success on the battlefield and the enemy is in a position of weakness, we must use diplomacy to consolidate these gains,” Ghalibaf said.
The speaker noted that Iran’s position in negotiations was “entirely clear, rational, and non-negotiable.”
Earlier, Ghalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US fulfils its commitments under a now-defunct peace deal signed in June, Al Jazeera reported.
