Tehran has warned Washington against a new military operation, saying any US attack on Iran would invite strikes on American bases and interests across West Asia. Iran has also said it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz or return to earlier US-Iran negotiations until the United States meets its conditions.
The statements came as US President Donald Trump weighs his next move on Iran and prepares for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. He has said he is in “decision-making mode” over Iran and hinted that he could meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the UNGA.
Reuters reported that Trump is considering military action, more economic sanctions or a deal with Tehran.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned the United States on Sunday (September 20). Carried by the Iranian Republic News Agency (IRNA), the statement said Washington was preparing to resume military action with support from some countries in the region.
“Should the United States make any mistake against the Islamic Republic of Iran, all its bases and interests in the region will be targeted in continuous, effective and painful attacks without any limitation or consideration,” it said.
The Iranian command also warned regional countries against supporting a US military operation. It said countries that assist Washington would be treated as participants in the waar and could no longer expect restraint from Iranian forces.
Reuters reported that Iran’s warning followed security alerts for Americans in several Middle Eastern countries. The US advisories cited the possibility of a rapid escalation in the region and warned of potential attacks against American interests, travel disruptions and changes to flight operations.
Iran puts conditions on Hormuz and talks
Meanwhile, Iran has made the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz conditional on Washington meeting Tehran’s demands.
“Our messages and conditions have been conveyed explicitly to the other side through intermediaries… And until these conditions are met, the inalienable rights of the Iranian nation are recognised and the Americans fulfil their commitments, there will be no possibility of a return to the previous negotiation framework or to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,” said Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Iran has sent Washington seven conditions through Qatar, according to Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei. He said the demands include an end to the war on all fronts, the release of frozen Iranian funds and an end to the US naval blockade. Qatar has been involved in passing messages between Tehran and Washington.
Ghalibaf has also argued that Iran should use both military action and diplomacy. “We must fight rationally and forcefully and negotiate at the appropriate time with authority and reason,” he said, according to Iran International.
The Strait is a major point of contention in the confrontation because it carries a large share of the world’s seaborne energy trade. Restrictions on traffic through the waterway have affected shipping and driven up international energy prices.
US blockade diverts 109 ships
The latest Iranian warning came after the US military said it had redirected 109 commercial vessels while enforcing its naval blockade on maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports.
“A U.S. Sailor stands watch aboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53). As of Sept. 20, CENTCOM forces have redirected 109 commercial vessels to ensure total compliance,” US Central Command said in a post on X.
The US military resumed enforcement of the blockade on July 14. The CENTCOM has said the restrictions apply to vessels travelling to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas. US forces have also said commercial traffic that does not violate the restrictions can continue moving through regional waters.
The shipping disruptions are affecting energy markets across the world. Reuters reported on Monday that Brent crude was around $103 a barrel even after Saudi oil exports began recovering. Recent attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement have also affected Saudi energy infrastructure and shipping routes.
Trump leaves the door open for talks
The US president has issued strong warnings to Tehran while also keeping the possibility of direct diplomacy open.
He has said Iran could face severe consequences if it does not change course and has hinted that he may meet Pezeshkian during the UNGA.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also travelled to New York with a delegation for the UN meetings.
The Iranian has said Tehran does not want another war but will not accept pressure or intimidation. “We do not want war and conflict and consider them harmful not only to the people of our country but to the world. At the same time, we will in no way yield to force and bullying,” he said.
The diplomatic channel has also been accompanied by debate in Iran over its nuclear policy. Rezaei has said Tehran has not changed its declared position against nuclear weapons, while some Iranian lawmakers have called for reconsidering the country’s membership of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, the comments do not amount to an announced change in Iran’s nuclear policy.
The situation is also unfolding along with new round of fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia. The Ian-baacked militia has claimed missile and drone attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia.
