Iran’s foreign minister issued his most direct warning yet to the United States, saying Tehran would respond with overwhelming force if it comes under renewed attack, as the Islamic Republic faces mounting pressure from internal unrest and an escalating confrontation with Washington.
In an opinion piece published overnight in The Wall Street Journal, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that, unlike past confrontations, Iran would not exercise restraint in the event of another war.
“Unlike the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack,” Araghchi wrote. “This isn’t a threat, but a reality I feel I need to convey explicitly, because as a diplomat and a veteran, I abhor war.”
His warning comes as Iran continues a sweeping crackdown following weeks of protests over economic conditions, political repression and governance failures. Araghchi sought to portray the unrest as initially peaceful and legitimate, but claimed it turned violent after what he described as foreign-backed terrorist infiltration.
“The protests began peacefully and were recognized as legitimate by the Iranian government,” he wrote. “They suddenly turned violent when foreign and domestic terrorist actors entered the scene, so blocking communication among organizers of the rioters and terrorists was an imperative.”
Araghchi said Iran’s intelligence and security agencies are now dismantling those cells and that internet access is gradually being restored. He accused international media of distorting events and fueling violence.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump
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“Media narratives have actively distorted reality and helped create an atmosphere that risks unleashing violence on an unprecedented scale in our region,” he wrote. “If I had to guess, I would say violence was the precise purpose of this apparent misinformation campaign.”
He also warned that diplomacy itself is at risk of collapse.
“As Iranians grieve their loved ones and rebuild what has been destroyed, another threat looms: the final failure of diplomacy,” Araghchi wrote. “An all-out confrontation will certainly be ferocious and drag on far longer than the fantasy timelines that Israel and its proxies are trying to peddle to the White House. It would engulf the region and affect ordinary people across the globe.”
While Araghchi framed his message as a warning rather than a threat, his language underscored a sharpened Iranian posture as pressure from Washington intensifies.
Trump on the situation in Iran
(Video: The White House)
Trump presses for ‘decisive’ action
Against that backdrop, The Wall Street Journal reported overnight that U.S. President Donald Trump continues to demand that aides present him with what he calls “decisive” military options regarding Iran.
According to U.S. officials cited by the paper, administration discussions are ongoing even though Trump has, for now, postponed a final decision on whether to strike. Officials said the president has repeatedly emphasized that any American action must have a decisive impact on Iran.
The report said Trump’s insistence has pushed advisers to sharpen a range of options, including plans aimed at pressuring the Iranian regime out of power, as well as more limited strikes targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities.
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Khamenei accused Trump of fomenting the protests in Iran
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At the same time, the United States is deploying Patriot and THAAD air defense systems to the Middle East, signaling preparations for possible escalation.
Trump has continued to issue public warnings. In an interview on NewsNation, he said that if Iran attempted to assassinate him, the United States “will wipe them off the face of the Earth.” He also warned of severe retaliation even if Tehran suppresses protesters.
“Anyone — even not a president — anything that happens, the country will explode,” Trump said. “There are strict orders. I will undoubtedly hit them very hard.”
He sharply criticized former President Joe Biden for what he described as a failure to respond forcefully to Iranian threats. “A president must protect a president,” Trump said.
Although Trump recently signaled that he has temporarily postponed any strike on Iran, he has continued to issue threats and personal attacks on Iran’s leadership. The United States has also moved an aircraft carrier and additional forces into the region capable of supporting a major strike, and many analysts assess that the risk of confrontation remains high.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for his part, accused the United States of fomenting the protests, writing on X that Washington bears responsibility for the unrest and its consequences.