U.S. president says he is “speaking with Iran” while Iranian military warns of immediate, decisive retaliation to any attack as regional tensions escalate.
PARIS – U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he hopes military action against Iran can be avoided, even as he continues to deploy naval forces to the region and warns that time is running out for Tehran to curb its nuclear ambitions.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump indicated diplomatic channels are open. “I have had [talks] and I am planning on it,” he said. Referring to U.S. military assets, he added, “We have a group headed out to a place called Iran, and hopefully we won’t have to use it.”
His comments come amid a significant U.S. naval buildup in the Middle East and follow his warning a day earlier that the strike group is “ready, willing and able” to act.
Iran Issues Stark Retaliation Warning
An Iranian military spokesman responded with a forceful threat, stating that Tehran’s reaction to any U.S. strike would be immediate and unrestricted.
Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia said on state television that American bases in the Gulf and U.S. aircraft carriers are within range of Iranian missiles. He dismissed the notion of a limited U.S. operation, warning, “It will certainly not unfold the way Trump imagines—carrying out a quick operation and then, two hours later, tweeting that the operation is over.”
EU Labels Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a Terrorist Organization
Adding to the pressure, the European Union formally designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization on Thursday, citing its violent suppression of recent mass protests. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called the decision “overdue,” stating it targets “a regime that crushes its own people’s protests in blood.”
Iran condemned the move as “illogical” and accused the EU of obeying the United States and Israel.
Regional Fears of Economic Chaos
A Gulf official, speaking anonymously, expressed grave concern that a U.S. strike would plunge the region into chaos and trigger a global spike in oil and gas prices. In a diplomatic effort, Qatar’s emir and Iran’s president held a call to discuss de-escalation, according to Qatar’s state news agency.
Disputed Death Toll from Protests
Rights groups report that thousands were killed during recent anti-government protests in Iran. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has confirmed 6,479 deaths, while Iranian authorities acknowledge over 3,000 fatalities, blaming “rioters” for most of the violence.
In Tehran, citizens voiced a grim sense of inevitability. “I think the war is inevitable,” said a 29-year-old waitress who asked not to be named. “I just want something to happen that would result in something better.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appealed for renewed nuclear negotiations to “avoid a crisis that could have devastating consequences.”
As military posturing continues, the world watches to see whether diplomacy or conflict will prevail.
