Iran's foreign minister warns of 'painful consequences' if U.S. tensions escalate

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned of “painful consequences” if the United States ramps up tensions with Tehran, charging that the Trump administration “is playing a very, very dangerous game” with its deployment of various military assets to the Middle East.

“There will be painful consequences for everybody if there is an escalation against Iran. That's for sure,” Zarif told CNN in an interview that aired Tuesday.

“Iran is not interested in escalation. We have said very clearly that we will not be the party to begin escalation, but we will defend ourselves,” he said, later adding: “Extreme prudence is required, and we believe that the United States is playing a very, very dangerous game.”

The remarks from Tehran’s top diplomat came as acting Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan on Tuesday appeared to downplay the imminence of an Iranian threat, telling reporters at the Pentagon that the Defense Department had “put on hold the potential for attacks on Americans” by Iran or its proxies.

Earlier Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the current diplomatic state of affairs between Washington and Tehran “is not suitable for talks,” and that the Islamic Republic had chosen “resistance only.”

But President Donald Trump on Monday said his administration “would certainly negotiate,” telling reporters outside the White House: “I'd only want them to call if they're ready. If they're not ready, they don't have to bother."

Congressional lawmakers were set to receive a briefing on Iran Tuesday from senior administration officials including Shanahan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, CIA Director Gina Haspel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford.

Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine