Washington, DC – Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated to unprecedented levels. This follows US President Donald Trump’s threat of limited military action to force Tehran to comply with his nuclear demands. In response, Iran issued an explicit threat to make all US assets in the region “legitimate targets.”
Washington: Military options are on the table
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is considering a limited military strike against Iran. Speaking from the White House, he stated, “The most I can say is that I’m thinking about it.” This coincided with a report in The Wall Street Journal revealing a US plan for a “preliminary, targeted” attack that could be launched within days. The plan targets military and government facilities. The report indicated that Iran’s continued refusal to halt uranium enrichment could be followed by a “massive military campaign.” This campaign aims to cripple the regime’s capabilities or even topple it.
Tehran: A comprehensive defensive response, and US bases are in the crosshairs.
In response, Iran’s reaction was swift and decisive, delivered through both diplomatic and military channels. Amir Saeed Irvani, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, sent an official letter to the Security Council, asserting that in the event of aggression, Tehran would consider “all bases, installations, and assets of the hostile power in the region legitimate targets” for defensive retaliation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi further reinforced this stance in a direct interview with Al Jazeera, warning Washington and regional states that US forces stationed in the Middle East would be the direct target of any Iranian response.
Time limit and diplomatic pressure
These developments follow statements made by Trump on February 20th. In those statements, he set a deadline of 10 to 15 days for a final decision on Iran. He stressed the need to reach a “meaningful agreement.” Meanwhile, Iran called on the Security Council to exercise its authority to stop what it described as “illegal US threats to use force.”
