In brief

• Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned the US against resuming attacks.
• He ordered military commanders to respond rapidly and forcefully to any aggression, without geographic limits.
• The warning comes as US officials say no decision on a new strike has been made.

Warning to Washington

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, has warned the United States against new military action. According to a statement attributed to him and published on his Telegram channel, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian people would decide the timing and conditions of any enemy's defeat if attacks resume (Iran, Khamenei minaccia gli Usa: “Risponderemo senza limiti geografici” – corrierenazionale.it).

Orders to the military

During a meeting with senior military commanders, Khamenei instructed them to respond rapidly and forcefully to any new aggression against the country, with no geographic restrictions, Iran's IRNA news agency reported. The leader, who also serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, issued a further directive to update military plans. The leader's office said all material and immaterial resources of what it called the American-Zionist enemy should be targeted, and called for unity among groups in the so-called resistance front (L'ayatollah Khamenei agli Usa, risponderemo a ogni minaccia – lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it).

Context

The remarks come amid renewed speculation about a return to fighting after last year's Israeli and US strikes on Iran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Atlanta that President Donald Trump had not yet decided on a new attack on Iran. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, separately warned that the country's armed forces would inflict a devastating blow on anyone who harms its people.