Iran vows ‘harsh’ response to US or Israeli aggression

Tehran has warned of immediate retaliation to any attack following US President Donald Trump’s threat of new strikes

Iran has vowed a swift and harsh response to any act of aggression following renewed military threats from the US and Israel. 

On Monday, US President Donald Trump, standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, threatened to “knock the hell” out of Iran if it tries to rebuild its nuclear or ballistic missile projects. 

In response, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared on X that Iran’s defense doctrine dictates that “some responses are determined long before threats reach the stage of execution.” He warned that any aggression would be met with an “immediate” and “harsh” response “beyond the imagination of its planners.” 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed the warning on Tuesday, stating that “Iran’s response to any tyrannical aggression will be harsh and regrettable.” Earlier, he also framed the tensions as part of a broader conflict, stating that Iran is in a “full-scale war with the US, Israel and Europe.” 

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The verbal exchange comes months after a 12-day air war in June, when the US and Israel conducted a joint airstrike campaign against Iranian nuclear sites, claiming, without evidence, that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denied the accusations and responded with its own strikes on Israel. 

Russia, meanwhile, has called for de-escalation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that Moscow believes it is necessary to “refrain from any steps that could lead to an escalation of tension in the region” and that “dialogue with Iran” should be the priority. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin also held a phone call with Pezeshkian on Tuesday during which the two leaders discussed bilateral ties, strategic cooperation, as well as the situation around Iran’s nuclear program, according to the Kremlin.