Iran Threatens Severe Response to US Strikes

US President Donald Trump has stated that he would support military action against Iran if the country rebuilds its nuclear or missile programs. This statement was made during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Florida estate on Monday.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded to the threat, warning that any aggression from the US would be met with “severe and regret-inducing” consequences. The Iranian president also reiterated that Iran’s nuclear activities are for civilian purposes only.

The US had not previously stated its intention to target Iran’s missile capabilities, which has been an Israeli aspiration. However, Trump said he would support strikes on Iran’s nuclear programme “immediately” and on its missile facilities if Tehran continues developing long-range weapons.

Israeli officials have expressed concern that Iran is quietly rebuilding its ballistic missile stockpile. The US president stated that the US would take action to stop this development. Pezeshkian described the standoff as a “full-scale war” involving the US, Israel, and Europe.

The June conflict between Israel and Iran resulted in over 1,100 Iranian deaths and 28 Israeli fatalities. The war saw nearly 360 strikes across 27 Iranian provinces, targeting military installations, nuclear facilities, and government buildings. Iran fired more than 500 missiles at Israel during the conflict.

Trump claimed that Iranian nuclear capabilities were “completely obliterated” by the strikes, but experts disputed this, suggesting that Tehran may have hidden stockpiles of enriched uranium and could resume production within months. Despite the losses, Pezeshkian stated that Iran’s military forces are now stronger in terms of equipment and manpower.

The situation remains tense, with both sides warning of potential conflict.

Source: Al Jazeera