Tehran, Iran – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi issued a direct warning to the United States, asserting that his country would respond “with all its might” to any renewed attack. This came in an article Araqchi published in the Wall Street Journal, at a time of heightened US military activity in the region. Araqchi noted that the violent phase of the unrest within Iran lasted no more than 72 hours. He also blamed armed protesters for the recent violence. However, videos documenting the use of live ammunition by security forces against unarmed protesters were not mentioned by the minister in his article.
Araghchi added, “Unlike the restraint Iran displayed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces will not hesitate to respond with everything we have if we are attacked again,” referring to the 12-day war Israel waged against Iran. He further explained that any full-scale confrontation would be “fierce and brutal, and would last longer than the fictitious timelines that Israel and its proxies are trying to promote.” This escalation of tensions comes amid notable US movements. A US aircraft carrier strike group is heading west toward the Middle East, accompanied by fighter jets and military equipment, following the deployment of forces to the Caribbean and the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to The Washington Post.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that an Iranian Kurdish separatist group in Iraq was attacked by Iran using drones and missiles, resulting in the death of at least one fighter. This marks Tehran’s first overseas operation since the recent protests began. Iran has not yet issued an immediate confirmation of the attack. Analysts suggest that Araqchi’s warnings primarily target Iran’s short- and medium-range missile capabilities. They also encompass the ability to target US interests in the Persian Gulf, given the ongoing restrictions on US diplomats’ travel to bases in Kuwait and Qatar. US sources added that the aircraft carrier and its three accompanying destroyers are heading west, meaning they will enter the Middle East region within days. However, US officials are refraining from officially confirming their destination.
