Iran warns America and Israel, and Trump sets a deadline for the agreement
In a new escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami issued strongly worded warnings to both the United States and Israel, vowing a decisive military response should his country be attacked. Hatami, in statements carried by the official Iranian news agency IRNA on Saturday, confirmed that the Iranian armed forces are currently on high alert, emphasizing their complete readiness to deal with any threat to national sovereignty.
The Iranian military commander indicated that any miscalculation by the "enemy" would not go unpunished, stating, "If the enemies commit any folly, it will directly jeopardize their security, and the repercussions will not be limited to them alone, but will extend to the security of the entire region and the Zionist entity." These fiery remarks come amidst intelligence and military reports indicating a massive US military buildup recently deployed in the Gulf and at nearby bases.
Political maneuvering and the American deadline
On the other side of the spectrum, US President Donald Trump adopted a tone that blended threat and diplomacy. In a press conference from the Oval Office, Trump expressed his conviction that Tehran ultimately seeks a deal with Washington to avert military action. The US president revealed that he had given the Iranian leadership a deadline to respond to his proposals, refusing to disclose its duration publicly, simply stating, "Only Tehran knows this deadline.".
Trump added: “We hope to reach an agreement, as that would be the best scenario for everyone, but if that doesn’t happen, we’ll see what happens,” implicitly indicating that military options remain on the table despite his stated desire to avoid war.
The context of the tension and its regional repercussions
These rapid developments are part of an ongoing escalation since the United States withdrew from the nuclear agreement and imposed a policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran through economic and military means. The Arabian Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supplies, have witnessed a significant military buildup, with Washington deploying aircraft carriers and strategic bombers to bolster its deterrent capabilities in the region.
International observers believe that this verbal sparring and military buildup are placing the region on a knife's edge, with the risks extending beyond the Iranian-American border to encompass global energy security and the stability of neighboring countries. The international community fears that any miscalculation, whether in the Gulf waters or through proxies in the region, could ignite an open confrontation whose consequences would be difficult to control, making current diplomatic efforts a race against time to avert such an explosion.
