Qalibaf warns: Iran's response to any attack will be decisive and devastating
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf affirmed that Tehran will not hesitate to defend its national sovereignty, emphasizing that Iran's response to any attack on the country will be decisive, strong, and proportionate. These statements come amidst escalating regional and international tensions in the Middle East, particularly following announcements by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) regarding military responses to recent US actions in the region, which have placed the region on a knife's edge and threaten to ignite a full-blown confrontation.
The new deterrence equation and Qalibaf's statements
The Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) quoted Qalibaf as saying, "Today, the Iranian people, in their struggle against the United States and the Zionist regime, have demonstrated that the era of gratuitous threats against Iran is over." The parliament speaker added that any external aggression would be met with an immediate and decisive response, reflecting Tehran's desire to establish a new deterrent equation based on the principle of reciprocity and to send clear messages to regional and international powers that any targeting of Iranian interests would come at a very high cost.
Dimensions of regional tension and scenarios for an Iranian response to any attack
These developments come within a complex historical context of ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and its regional allies. Historically, the Persian Gulf and the wider Middle East have witnessed multiple rounds of military and political escalation, particularly with the imposition of stringent economic sanctions on Tehran and attempts to undermine its regional influence. Observers believe that the current mutual threats could disrupt vital international shipping lanes, such as the Strait of Hormuz, directly impacting global energy markets and the international economy. Domestically, the Iranian leadership seeks to bolster the home front and project an image of unity in the face of external pressure through these assertive statements. Regionally and internationally, however, these threats raise genuine concerns about the region sliding into a full-blown regional war involving multiple actors.
Stalemate in the diplomatic process and open channels of communication
On the diplomatic front, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that diplomatic channels with the United States remain open through international intermediaries, but acknowledged the lack of any tangible progress in negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Iranian news agency Tasnim quoted Araqchi as saying that the exchanged messages focused on the need to halt the aggression against the Lebanese capital, Beirut, but without achieving any practical results thus far.
Tehran's conditions for returning to the negotiating table
Araghchi clarified that a return to direct or indirect negotiations is not unconditional, but rather contingent upon guaranteeing the full rights of the Iranian people, halting military operations in Lebanon, and ending the escalating tensions in the region. These statements coincide with Iran's anticipation of US President Donald Trump's policies. Tehran is closely monitoring any modifications or new directions in US foreign policy regarding the Iranian nuclear issue and the economic sanctions imposed on the country, emphasizing that it will not accept any agreement that does not fully guarantee its national interests.
