Khamenei promises 'strong blow' if Trump bombs Iran

"Iran has achieved a level of active deterrence in which any violation of its sovereignty will be met with a severe response," the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces said in a statement on Sunday marking the anniversary of the Islamic Republic's foundation.

The state-run English newspaper Tehran Times also reported that "Iranian missiles are loaded onto launchers in all underground missile cities and are ready for launch."

"Opening the Pandora's box will come at a heavy cost for the US government and its allies," the report added, citing information it had obtained.

Tehran Times is owned by Islamic Propagation Organization whose director is appointed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Trump on Sunday warned of bombing Iran if Tehran fails to reach a deal over its nuclear program.

"If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before," Trump was quoted as saying during a phone interview with NBC News' Kristen Welker.

Hours later, Trump told reporters he "would prefer a deal to the other alternative which I think everybody on this plane knows what that is. That's not going to be pretty."

On Saturday, a report by The Telegraph said Iran would strike a British-American naval base in the Indian Ocean if it were attacked by the US.

The report, which cited a senior Iranian military official, came after Washington deployed long-range bombers at the strategic airbase.

B-2 Spirit bombers have arrived at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia in Chagos Islands, a US Strategic Command spokesperson confirmed to Iran International earlier this week as Washington ramps up rhetoric against Iran.

In an apparent response to the deployment, the Iranian official told The Telegraph, "There will be no distinction in targeting British or American forces if Iran is attacked from any base in the region or within the range of Iranian missiles."

However, the Indian Ocean base is 3,800 kilometers from the Iran and Iranian ballistic missiles have a maximum range of 2,000 kilometers.

"If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before," Trump was quoted as saying during a phone interview with NBC News' Kristen Welker.

Earlier in the day Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country rejects direct negotiations with the United States, but added that indirect talks can continue.

"The response by the Supreme Leader to Trump's letter was delivered to the US contact in Oman...In that response, direct negotiations have been rejected, but regarding indirect talks, Iran has always been involved in such talks, and the Supreme Leader has emphasized that indirect talks can still continue," Pezeshkian said.

Also on Sunday, government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said that "Iran's response to the sent letter was prepared and delivered," as Iran's foreign ministry stressed the confidentiality of the exchanged letters.

Trump on Friday also warned that “bad, bad things” would happen if Tehran did not agree to a nuclear deal.

While Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon the UN's nuclear watchdog says it has enriched more uranium than any state lacking a bomb.

Last month, Trump signed a directive restoring the so-called maximum pressure policy on Iran of his first term and warned of "catastrophic" consequences if Tehran does not make a deal on its nuclear program.

Trump's maximum pressure approach in his first term beginning in 2018 pummeled Iran's economy, causing a dramatic decline in oil exports and skyrocketing inflation.

Earlier this week, Khamenei's senior adviser Ali Larijani, as well as prominent economists in Tehran said that Iran needs to address its problems with the United States urgently in a bid to lift or reduce US sanctions and give the ailing economy a chance to grow after many years of crises and stagnation.

"We targeted Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied Jaffa area with a Zolfaghar ballistic missile, and this operation was successfully carried out with God’s blessing," Yahya Saree, the spokesman for the Houthis said Sunday in a statement.

The Israeli military disputed the Houthi claim, saying, "Following sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF prior to crossing into Israeli territory. Sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol."

​The Zolfaghar missile is an Iranian short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) developed as an enhanced version of the Fateh-110 missile system. It was first unveiled during a military parade in September 2016 and entered service in 2017.

Shortly after IDF made the announcement, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel should respond to Houthi attacks by targeting Iran directly, arguing Tehran finances and controls the Yemeni group.

"It is Iran that finances, arms, trains, and operates the Houthis. Iran has a lot to lose; the Houthis have much less. Therefore, Israel must levy a high price on Iran. Only in this way will Iran understand," he said on X.

This comes as US President Donald Trump, less than a fortnight ago, warned that Iran will bear brunt of any Houthi attack.

"Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

In January last year, US forces intercepted a shipment carrying military aid from Iran to the Houthis, including drone parts, missile warheads, and anti-tank missile units.

Writing for The Council on Foreign Relations, Kali Robinson said that, "For the Houthis, the Iran connection provides more sophisticated weaponry than they could acquire on their own, especially missiles and drones.

"Iranian support has bolstered the group’s fighting abilities, helping the Houthis gain and maintain military superiority within Yemen, but experts say it has had greater impact elsewhere."

Masoud Pezeshkian told his cabinet, "In this response, although the issue of direct negotiation between the two sides has been rejected, it has been stated that the path of indirect negotiation is open."

He emphasized that Iran has never avoided negotiations, and that past issues arose from breaches of promises by the US that need to be rectified to rebuild trust.

"[In the response] it has been emphasized that Iran has never avoided negotiation, and it was only bad faith that caused problems in this path, which must be compensated and trust rebuilt; it is the behavior of the Americans that determines the continuation of the negotiation path," Pezeshkian said.

Earlier reports indicated that Trump's letter proposed discussions on Iran's nuclear program, while Iranian sources said their response reiterated long-standing positions, including a refusal to negotiate on its missile program or regional alliances.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said on Thursday that Iran's response was conveyed through Oman, and that while direct talks were off the table under Trump’s so-called maximum pressure and military threats, indirect negotiations could continue.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry emphasized the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of international negotiations and correspondence as it confirmed the exchange of messages with the United States.

The ministry said in a statement that keeping diplomatic processes private best serves national interests.

Also on Sunday, government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani reiterated that "Iran's response to the sent letter was prepared and delivered."

Writing on social media platform X, Mohajerani added, "In this regard, the path of indirect negotiations with the United States is on the agenda, and the diplomatic process continues."

The confirmation follows reports from Iranian officials detailing Tehran's response to a recent letter from US President Donald Trump, which, according to Iranian sources, reiterated long-standing positions, rejecting key US demands regarding its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional alliances.

While the specifics of the exchanged letters remain confidential, in line with the Foreign Ministry's statement, Iranian officials have offered insights into Tehran's stance.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed earlier in the week that Iran's official response to Trump's letter had been conveyed appropriately via Oman, a traditional mediator between the two adversaries.

Araghchi reiterated Iran's unwillingness to engage in direct negotiations under what it describes as maximum pressure and military threats, though he noted that indirect talks could continue, as they had in the past.

Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, also said that Iran had informed the US of its willingness to discuss the nuclear issue, but only through indirect channels and based on the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

According to Ardestani, Iran's response rejected any discussion of its ballistic missile capabilities, which Tehran considers a matter of national defense and non-negotiable.

Similarly, Iran has pushed back against US efforts to curb its backing of regional groups, asserting that these relationships are based on bilateral agreements and that these allies are independent actors, he added.

"Given that Iran has no intention of acquiring an atomic bomb, as nuclear weapons have no place in our defense strategy, we are prepared to negotiate on this matter. However, discussions on other subjects are not on the table," he said.

On Saturday, the New Arab, citing anonymous Iranian sources, reported that Tehran's response mirrored the tone and structure of Trump's message, rejecting demands viewed as unreasonable.

The outlet said that Iran emphasized any nuclear talks must adhere to the original terms of the JCPOA and be based on mutual respect, resisting any attempts to broaden the scope of negotiations or impose new restrictions.

While Trump has said that a new agreement should guarantee that Tehran never acquires nuclear weapons, the JCPOA allowed limited uranium enrichment, which in the future can provide the technical means to obtain fissile material.

Regarding the mediators of the correspondence, Ardestani said that the US bypassed Oman, Switzerland, and Japan this time, possibly due to past unsuccessful attempts, and instead used the UAE, perhaps reflecting a more forceful tone. However, Iran delivered its reply via Oma, signaling its preference for a country it sees as more neutral.

Ardestani added that while the UAE received a copy, Oman is the messenger, likely due to Iran's higher level of trust.

The diplomatic overture unfolds against the backdrop of Trump's reimposition of a "maximum pressure" campaign in February, aiming to halt Iran's oil exports and force a broader deal encompassing its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional influence.

Trump has issued a two-month deadline for a new nuclear agreement, threatening military consequences if Tehran fails to comply. It remains unclear if Washington would accept indirect talks that from past experience could drag on for years.