Iran’s supreme leader on Saturday warned the United States and Israel against launching new attacks on the country following their threats to resume their strikes after crucial elections, as fears mount over a return to fighting.
The declaration came as the Islamic republic’s top diplomat said there were no plans to hold talks with the United States, as indirect mediation via Qatar continues.
President Donald Trump has warned of fresh military action after the United States holds midterm elections early next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying on Saturday “we can achieve military objectives if we seek to”.
In Israel, which is coming off fresh elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken of a “historic, one-time opportunity” to topple the Iranian government.
Polls in both countries could determine the direction of the conflict, with Israel having voted Tuesday but yet to form a new government.
“Any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response,” Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei told top military commanders in a meeting, according to a statement.
The encounter was the first reported meeting between Khamenei and military top brass, and included armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi, army chief Amir Hatami and Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi.
The supreme leader has not been seen publicly since before he took the helm in March after the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in US-Israeli strikes.
Khamenei also ordered commanders to update Iran’s target list to include “all types of tangible and intangible assets belonging to the American-Zionist enemy”.
Iran has previously warned it would consider severing undersea cables in the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio, speaking at a G20 news conference in Atlanta, said Trump “hasn’t made a decision” on any fresh strikes.
Since the initial US-Israeli bombardment in February, ordinary Iranians “have been left in a state of limbo for the past year”, Fariba, a Tehran housewife, told AFP.
But other residents in the Iranian capital brushed off the possible return to full-scale conflict.
