By Desmond Nleya
Iran has strongly rejected renewed threats from United States President Donald Trump, warning that its armed forces are fully prepared to respond “immediately and powerfully” to any military aggression.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s military remains on high alert and ready to defend the country’s land, air and sea.
“Our brave Armed Forces are prepared — with their fingers on the trigger — to immediately and powerfully respond to any aggression against our beloved nation,” Araghchi said.
His remarks came hours after Trump warned that the US could launch a military attack on Iran unless Tehran agrees to negotiate a new nuclear deal. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed a “massive armada” was heading toward Iran and was prepared to act “with speed and violence” if necessary.
Trump said Iran must accept a “fair and equitable deal” that guarantees it will not obtain nuclear weapons, warning that time was running out. He also claimed that previous US strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme, despite ongoing uncertainty about the status and location of Iran’s enriched uranium.
Araghchi dismissed the threats, saying Iran had learned “valuable lessons” from last year’s 12-day conflict with Israel, during which US forces also struck Iranian nuclear sites.
“The lessons learned have enabled us to respond more strongly, rapidly and profoundly,” he said.
Tensions had briefly eased earlier this month after antigovernment protests in Iran subsided and Trump said Tehran had halted planned executions of demonstrators. However, tensions flared again this week following the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the region.
Adnan Hayajneh, a professor of international relations at Qatar University, described the carrier deployment as a “show of power” intended to pressure Iran into negotiations.
“This is the American way of convincing Iran to come to the table,” he said, adding that Washington is seeking to curb Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes while Tehran is under domestic and regional pressure.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is strictly for civilian purposes and insists it has the right to enrich uranium.
On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that US threats would only destabilise the region. Araghchi also reiterated that Iran would not negotiate under military pressure.
“Negotiations do not go together with threats,” he said, adding that talks could only resume in an environment free of coercion.
Despite the public war of words, diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes. Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, reporting from Tehran, said mediators were actively working to prevent escalation, even as Iran signals both readiness to defend itself and willingness to negotiate under fair conditions.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also indicated that Iran remains open to renewed nuclear talks.
Meanwhile, regional tensions remain high. Iran and the US have conducted military drills near the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned neighbouring countries against allowing US forces to use their territory.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have said they will not permit their airspace to be used for any attack on Iran. Egypt has also stepped in diplomatically, holding talks with both Tehran and Washington to prevent further escalation.
However, analysts say regional appeals for restraint may have limited influence.
“At the end of the day, Trump listens to himself,” Hayajneh said.
