TEHRAN – Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated further on Friday as Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Qalibaf warned that Tehran would strike U.S. military bases in the region if Washington follows through on its threats of military action.
Qalibaf’s remarks came in response to a letter sent by U.S. President Donald Trump to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in which Trump outlined two possible courses of action—military confrontation or renewed negotiations for a nuclear deal.
“If the Americans attack the sanctity of Iran, the entire region will blow up like a spark in an ammunition dump,” Qalibaf declared in a televised speech during the annual Al-Quds Day rally, a pro-Palestinian event held on the last Friday of Ramadan. “Their bases and those of their allies will not be safe.”
The warning signals heightened hostilities between Washington and Tehran amid stalled diplomatic efforts to revive a nuclear agreement.
During his first presidential term (2017-2021), Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which had placed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
In response, Iran exceeded the deal’s uranium enrichment limits, drawing further U.S. sanctions and condemnation from Western powers, which accuse Tehran of secretly developing nuclear weapons—a charge Iran denies, insisting its nuclear program is strictly for civilian purposes.
Diplomatic Uncertainty
While Iran has dismissed Trump’s latest warning, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi acknowledged on Thursday that the letter also contained signals of potential diplomatic engagement. State media quoted Araqchi as saying that although Trump’s message included threats, it also left “the door open to diplomacy.”
Araqchi further revealed that Iran had carefully analyzed Trump’s letter and sent “an appropriate response” through Oman, a country known for its mediation efforts between Iran and the West.
However, he maintained that negotiations would remain impossible unless the U.S. abandoned its “maximum pressure” policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against Tehran.
Khamenei himself dismissed Trump’s message as “deceptive,” reiterating that Iran would not bow to coercion.
Regional Tensions on Display
The Al-Quds Day event, where Qalibaf delivered his speech, saw large crowds gathering in Tehran, with participants chanting anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans.
A Reuters photograph from the rally depicted an Iranian demonstrator burning an Israeli flag, underscoring the deep-rooted hostility Iran maintains toward the U.S. and its allies in the region.
Analysts warn that if tensions continue to rise, the region could face renewed conflicts, particularly with Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon capable of targeting U.S. and allied forces.
As diplomatic channels remain constrained and threats escalate, the international community watches anxiously to see whether Washington and Tehran can navigate the crisis without descending into a military confrontation that could have far-reaching consequences for the Middle East.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members