In a stark warning, Iran has vowed that any attack against the country would result in an “all-out war”. The statement comes after US President Donald Trump claimed that an “armada” of American military forces was heading towards Iran.
Speaking to CNN on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif asserted that his country would not hesitate to defend itself if provoked. “I make a very serious statement about defending our country. I’m making a very serious statement that we won’t blink to defend our territory,” he said.
The heightened tensions follow a series of escalating incidents in the Persian Gulf region. Last month, two Saudi oil facilities were struck by drone attacks, which the US has blamed on Iran. Tehran has denied any involvement in the incident.
President Trump, in a separate interview, stated that the US had a naval fleet moving towards Iran, though he expressed hope that military action would not be necessary. “We have an armada of ships,” he told reporters. “And we have someplace to go, we have to go there, we have to go there.”
The US has maintained a robust military presence in the Middle East, with thousands of troops stationed in the region. This includes the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Persian Gulf in recent months.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Zarif warned that any conflict with his country would not be limited to the region. “I’m making a very serious statement that we won’t blink to defend our territory,” he said. “We don’t want war, but we won’t blink to defend our territory.”
The situation remains highly volatile, with both sides seemingly unwilling to back down. Analysts have cautioned that a miscalculation or a minor incident could quickly escalate into a full-scale military confrontation, with potentially devastating consequences for the entire region.
As the war of words continues, the international community has called for restraint and diplomacy to defuse the tensions before they spiral out of control.
