Khamenei issued the warning during a meeting with senior commanders of Iran’s armed forces, amid growing concerns over a possible escalation between Washington and Tehran. According to a series of posts on his account on X, he called for an “immediate, effective, and unrestricted geographical response” to every level and type of threat.

In a strongly worded message, he said the armed forces and the Iranian people would decide when and under what conditions any renewed conflict would end.

“If the enemies resume military or terrorist attacks, it is the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the people of Iran who will determine the time and conditions for ending them,” he said.

He also stressed the need for “intelligent combat readiness to confront the enemies with force”, describing it as essential to maintaining “maximum deterrence”. Khamenei further directed the armed forces to strengthen the country’s defence technology.

The warning comes as US President Donald Trump has said Washington is in no hurry to bring its conflict with Iran to an end. Describing the hostilities as “not a typical war”, Trump maintained that time was on the American side, despite months of fighting and repeated diplomatic efforts failing to secure a lasting settlement.

“There are talks. They want to talk. They keep talking,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

“But look, they’re not paying their soldiers, they’re not paying their police. They’re in a lot of trouble. And we have time, frankly. It’s a war, but it’s not a typical war; we’ve been there for seven months,” the US President added.

Meanwhile, a preliminary draft framework for negotiations between the two countries has reportedly taken shape, with proposals aimed at addressing Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and restoring shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

According to Al Arabiya English, which exclusively obtained the key points of the draft, the proposal includes transferring Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile to an agreed third country or reducing its enrichment level. It also calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz to international maritime traffic within seven days of an initial understanding.

China could potentially serve as a guarantor to ensure the implementation and long-term sustainability of any agreement, the report said. The framework also proposes holding direct negotiations between the US and Iran in Doha, instead of Istanbul.

Separately, The Times of Israel, citing the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, reported that an American delegation is expected to join Iranian officials for direct talks in Doha following a reported breakthrough in indirect negotiations.

(With ANI inputs)