US and Iran trade war warnings as tensions rise
The United States and Iran have escalated their exchange of warnings, raising fears of a wider regional conflict as both sides signal readiness for confrontation.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would respond forcefully if attacked again, following renewed threats from US President Donald Trump.
In an opinion piece published in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, Araghchi said Iran’s armed forces would “fire back with everything we have” in the event of renewed military action. He referred to last year’s 12-day conflict triggered by Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, describing the risk of war as real and dangerous.
Araghchi said his comments were not intended as threats but as a blunt warning, stressing that a full-scale conflict would be prolonged, devastating and extend well beyond Iran and Israel. He warned such a war would destabilise the wider Middle East and disrupt global energy markets, shipping lanes and civilian life far beyond the region.
The rhetoric comes as Iran last week closed its airspace, a move widely interpreted as preparation for possible US or allied strikes. Diplomats from several Gulf Arab states have reportedly urged Washington to avoid military escalation, warning of severe regional fallout.
Meanwhile, US military movements have drawn attention. Ship-tracking data shows the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln transited the Strait of Malacca this week after operating in the South China Sea. While US officials have not confirmed its destination, its position places it within days of the Middle East.
The standoff has added pressure to already fragile diplomacy, with oil prices and regional security closely watched as tensions continue to mount.
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