Iran will not hesitate to respond to any aggression or threats from the United States, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared.
“The Americans express their views about us and issue threats. If they threaten us, we will threaten them. If they act on their threats, we will retaliate. If they endanger our country’s security, we will do the same without hesitation,” Khamenei stated during a meeting with the Iranian Air Force and Air Defense Command. His remarks were shared by his press office.
On February 4, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order reinstating the US policy of maximum pressure on Iran. The directive includes enhanced efforts to reduce Iran’s oil exports. However, Trump also indicated the possibility of meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and expressed his desire to negotiate a “great deal” with Tehran. He signed the order ahead of a meeting at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According toAxios, Netanyahu sought to persuade Trump to provide Israel with weapons capable of destroying Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, which Israel has long considered an existential threat. Tehran, in turn, has consistently stated that its nuclear program is purely peaceful and that developing nuclear weapons is prohibited by a decree from the Supreme Leader.
On February 5, Trump took to his Truth Social account to downplay rumors that the US and Israel were planning to destroy the Islamic Republic, calling them “greatly exaggerated.” He said he would prefer a deal with Tehran that includes permanent verification of Iran’s nuclear program. However, he did not clarify how this “verification” would differ from inspections already conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: آرش (Arche)/Creative Commons 3.0
Based on materials from TASS