The IRGC warned it has prepared for a “long-term war” with unused strategic weapons, while Trump told Fox News he was weighing options “if and when do I blow the entire nation up.”
A simultaneous exchange of threats between Washington and Tehran raised fears of a return to all-out hostilities in the Iran war ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday.
Iran’s IRGC warned on Monday that the war with the US is not yet over and that it has prepared for a “long-term war” with weapons that have not yet been used, spokesman Hossein Mohebi said.
Mohebi said Iran had upgraded its weapons capabilities during and before the war, and described the unused systems as “strategic” and to be deployed if necessary.
The Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters said separately that it had obtained intelligence indicating the US, with support from unnamed regional countries, was preparing to resume strikes on Iran following a joint meeting held in an unspecified European country.
It said that in the event of a new US attack, “all of that country’s bases and interests in the region, without any restrictions or consideration, will be subjected to continuous, effective and painful attacks.” Iranian leaders have also warned that retaliatory action could target US naval forces in the Indian Ocean.
US President Donald Trump, who cut short his Camp David weekend and returned to the White House on Saturday evening without explanation, told Fox News he was weighing his options on Iran “if and when do I blow the entire nation up.”
Trump has previously threatened to “wipe” Iran “off the face of this Earth,” sparking considerable backlash at the time.
The US president is believed to be considering three paths: a large-scale military strike, a tightened economic blockade, or a diplomatic deal at the UN General Assembly. Trump is expected to meet the leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council states on the sidelines.
The US State Department issued fresh security warnings for US citizens across the Middle East, urging Americans in Iran to leave immediately and warning of possible flight cancellations and airspace closures.
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