Iran warns U.S. attack would trigger war after Trump threat

Iran’s foreign minister and a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any U.S. military action would be treated as the start of war, after President Trump said a U.S. naval armada was heading toward Iran.

“Our brave Armed Forces are prepared, with their fingers on the trigger, to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea,” Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday. “The valuable lessons learned from the 12-Day War have enabled us to respond even more strongly, rapidly, and profoundly.”

Araghchi said Iran remains open to what he described as a fair and equitable nuclear agreement, but only under conditions that respect Iran’s rights and exclude coercion or threats.

Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Khamenei, said any U.S. military action would be considered the beginning of war and would trigger an immediate and unprecedented response.

“A limited strike is an illusion,” Shamkhani said in a statement. “Any military action by the United States, from any origin and at any level, will be considered the start of war, and its response will be immediate, comprehensive, and unprecedented, targeting the heart of Tel Aviv and all those who support the aggressor.”

Earlier Wednesday, Trump said a U.S. naval armada led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln was heading toward Iran, warning of severe consequences if Tehran does not agree to a nuclear deal.

“A massive Armada is heading to Iran,” Trump wrote, saying the force was larger than one previously sent to Venezuela. He said the United States is “ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”

“The next attack will be far worse!,” Trump added. “Don’t make that happen again.”