Iran's Khamenei Threatens US and Israel With Wider Military Response

Amid reports on Saturday of apparent progress in negotiations between Iran and the United States, Iranian media published a statement attributed to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei threatening a forceful response to any renewed Israeli or American attack. The statement, released without an accompanying photograph, followed reports that Khamenei had met with senior military officials.

“If Israel and the United States launch another attack, Iran will be the one to determine the timing and the conditions for a cease-fire,” Khamenei reportedly warned. “I have ordered an update of the target bank in order to ensure that all tangible and intangible assets of the American-Zionist enemy will be within reach of Iranian forces.”

According to the statement, Khamenei instructed senior military commanders “to be in a state of combat readiness for a powerful confrontation, and to respond to any attack with a response that will not be limited by geographic borders.” He also praised Iran's proxy organizations.

Iranian reports claimed that Khamenei met with Ahmad Vahidi, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); Ali Abdollahi, Iran's chief of staff; and Amir Hatami, commander of the Iranian army.

On Saturday, Abdollahi also issued a direct warning to the United States and Israel, declaring that “the enemies must understand that any renewed aggression against the country and the nation will be met with a new approach — one that will be harsher and more effective than the one taken during the war.”

He added: “Our forces are ready to confront the American and Zionist enemies with great force and without geographic limitations, using modern and advanced equipment and technology, at a level of readiness that will grow stronger from day to day. The forces have added to their objectives a new list of enemy targets and assets, spread across a wider geographic area than in the past.”

Notably, the latest statement attributed to Khamenei was released without any new images of the Iranian leader. He has not appeared publicly since his appointment as supreme leader, following an Israeli strike on February 28 that reportedly wounded him and killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, at the family's residential compound.