Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned on Oct. 31 that any threat against Iran would prompt an immediate response with no geographic limits, while diplomatic efforts to avert renewed fighting continued.
Khamenei delivered the warning during a meeting with senior military commanders, according to IRNA. He said Iran would decide when and under what conditions any future attacks against it would end.
The statement did not name countries or specific targets. It called for Iran’s armed forces to be ready for a possible renewed attack, but did not announce that Tehran had decided to strike first.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has meanwhile said Tehran hopes Washington will choose diplomacy. He described recent US efforts toward broader dialogue as a positive step, while saying that the terms and format of any negotiations remained unsettled.
Hormuz proposal remains conditional
Araghchi said Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days, revising an earlier timeline of seven days. The proposal depends on the United States meeting Iranian conditions, including lifting its blockade of Iranian ports. No agreement on those terms has been announced.
The discussions have been mediated through Qatar. The diplomatic signals came as UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said Gulf states were “braced for the worst” while hoping mediation would succeed. He warned that the region could remain stuck in a “no war, no peace” situation if Washington and Tehran failed to bridge their differences.
Associated Press reporting also described Khamenei’s warning as part of efforts to deter the United States and Israel from launching strikes. The statement itself, however, did not identify a specific response or set out a timetable for further military action.
Dana Mcgee