Iran issued a statement on Monday warning that any form of military attack by the United States would trigger a strong response from the Islamic Republic. This comes after President Donald Trump mentioned the possibility of carrying out limited strikes against Iran. The U.S. has been increasing its military presence in the Middle East to exert pressure on Iran to reach a deal ahead of upcoming negotiations set to resume on Thursday. In the event of no agreement being reached, Trump is contemplating a limited strike.
Iran’s foreign ministry reiterated on Monday that any type of strike, even if limited, would be considered an act of aggression. The ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, emphasized that any state has the right to fiercely defend itself against aggression. The two countries recently completed a second round of indirect talks in Switzerland with Omani mediation, with additional talks scheduled for Thursday.
The European Union, which has not been actively involved in the mediation process, emphasized the need for a diplomatic resolution before the talks. Iran has stressed that discussions at the negotiations are solely focused on its nuclear program, which the West suspects of having military intentions, a claim Tehran denies.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is leading the negotiations, while the U.S. delegation includes envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. Witkoff mentioned in an interview that Trump is questioning Iran’s resilience in the face of the U.S. military buildup.
Iran responded by stating that Iranians have never surrendered throughout their history. Despite ongoing anti-government protests in Iran, concerns about a potential conflict have heightened, leading several foreign countries, including India, Sweden, Serbia, Poland, and Australia, to advise their citizens to leave Iran.