Iran has escalated its warnings to the United States, threatening to expand the range of targets and deploy new weapons if Washington launches further attacks on the country.
Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said on Monday that Tehran would use weapons not previously deployed and strike locations that had not been targeted before if the United States launched another attack, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency. His warning was also reported by other regional and international outlets.
“If a new aggression occurs, we will certainly change the weapons used in the war and its geography,” Mohebbi said, adding that Tehran was prepared for a prolonged conflict.
US and Iran Exchange New Threats
Iran and the United States exchanged fresh threats on Sunday, with US President Donald Trump warning Iranian leaders that they must reach an agreement or face severe economic consequences or the removal of their leadership, while Iran’s military vowed a forceful response to any renewed attack.
The conflict has appeared largely deadlocked for months, with little indication that either Washington or Tehran is prepared to make the concessions required to end the fighting. This comes as the global energy crisis worsens, large sectors of the Iranian economy deteriorate and the confrontation spreads into other parts of the region.
A Fox News correspondent said Trump told him during a telephone conversation that Iran’s leaders needed to reach a deal or face economic collapse or being removed from power. Reports of Trump’s remarks came as both sides exchanged threats ahead of the UN General Assembly.
At the same time, the correspondent quoted Trump as saying that he was prepared to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was expected in New York that week to attend meetings of the United Nations General Assembly. Trump subsequently indicated publicly that he was open to such a meeting.
Trump has repeatedly issued broad threats of a major military escalation during the war, which began with US and Israeli strikes on 28 February, without following through on all of those threats. Reuters has described the conflict as having begun with a major US-Israeli bombing campaign on that date.
Earlier, Iran’s military central command said any new attack would lead to continuous strikes against US bases and interests. It also warned that Washington’s regional allies would be treated as parties to the conflict if they became involved.
The Iranian military said it had obtained information indicating preparations for another attack on Iran, but did not disclose details of the intelligence behind that assessment.
