Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed a forceful response to any attacks on the country after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military action.
The warning comes as Tehran dismissed direct negotiations with Washington following a letter from Trump regarding Iran’s advancing nuclear program.
Both the U.S. and Israel have stated they will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, heightening concerns of a military confrontation. Tehran has continued enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels, a move typically associated with nuclear-armed states.
During his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement and reimposed sanctions, leading to the deal’s collapse.
Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, though its officials have increasingly hinted at pursuing a nuclear weapon amid escalating tensions over U.S. sanctions and the ongoing war in Gaza.