Iran warns any US attack will be met with retaliation, dismisses claims of no-response deal

Iran warned Tuesday that any US military attack would be met with retaliation, dismissing claims that Washington had conveyed a message expecting Tehran not to respond to a potential strike.

Speaking at his weekly press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei described suggestions that the US could attack Iran without facing retaliation as an "illusion."

Baqaei rejected claims that Washington had sent a message based on the premise that Iran should refrain from responding to a potential US attack.

He said Tehran had demonstrated that it would not leave any military strike unanswered.

"If our response is not stronger, it will certainly be equal in force," he said.

The spokesperson stressed that the era of the US carrying out attacks and withdrawing without consequences was over.

His remarks came in response to claims concerning a possible US attack on Pickaxe Mountain (Kuh-e Kolang) in Iran.

Baqaei also warned that Iran remained prepared for the possibility of another Israeli attack, saying the country was not currently experiencing conditions of peace.

Responding to media reports that Israeli officials had discussed the possibility of another war against Iran with regional parties, he said Tehran was constantly assessing potential threats.

"We live with this possibility and face it day and night," he said, citing the continuing US naval blockade and threats against Iran as reasons for maintaining military readiness.

He said Iranian forces had learned from the experiences of the past two years and were prepared to repel any assault.

- No nuclear negotiations

Baqaei said Tehran had not entered nuclear negotiations with Washington and therefore had no details of such talks to discuss with Russia or other countries.

"We have not entered nuclear negotiations with the American side to discuss their details with other parties," he said.

He rejected speculations that Iran had softened its positions on the nuclear issue, stressing that Tehran remained committed to its principles and national interests.

The spokesperson said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Tehran was part of regular consultations between the two countries.

He noted that the visit had been planned for months and was aimed at discussing bilateral relations and regional and international developments.

According to Baqaei, discussions covered the Caucasus, Europe, the Ukraine conflict, the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as Iran's nuclear program.

He said Russia had played an important role in previous negotiations leading to the 2015 nuclear agreement and continued to express willingness to help reduce tensions.

Baqaei also dismissed remarks by US officials concerning Iran's relations with Russia and China, saying Tehran would continue developing ties with both countries regardless of Washington's rhetoric.

He said Iran's cooperation with Moscow and Beijing was based on mutual interests, stressing that Tehran understood both countries pursued their own national priorities.

Referring to US President Donald Trump's remarks, Baqaei said Iranian officials would not engage with such rhetoric, adding that sometimes it was better to let others remain in their "illusions."

Baqaei said Tehran would continue pursuing diplomatic opportunities despite its longstanding distrust of Washington.

He accused the US of repeatedly violating its commitments, including since its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement in 2018.

However, he stressed that Iran's diplomatic institutions could not abandon negotiations solely because of previous experiences.

"If there is even the slightest possibility that diplomacy can prevent an escalation of tensions, we must pursue that path," he said.

Baqaei added that Iran's priority remained protecting its national interests and security, whether through diplomacy or military defense.

The spokesperson said a recent message received from the US was "insufficient and incomplete," adding that Tehran had already communicated its position to Washington.

He said Iran's seven demands were neither new nor unreasonable, arguing that they had already been included in the June understanding between the two countries.

Baqaei cited lifting the US naval blockade and ending hostilities on all fronts among Tehran's demands, describing them as legitimate and reasonable.

He said Washington needed to make a decision on these issues before diplomatic efforts could move forward.

- Strait of Hormuz

Baqaei blamed continued US military actions for insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz, calling on the United Nations to help address the situation.

Responding to a question concerning humanitarian shipments, including agricultural supplies and materials needed for food production, he said Tehran had consistently supported efforts to facilitate humanitarian cargo deliveries.

However, he argued that the underlying causes of insecurity in the strategic waterway needed to be addressed.

"The cause of insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz is clear: the continuation of US interventionist and aggressive actions," he said.

Baqaei urged the UN to take steps to prevent Washington from continuing actions that Tehran considers destabilizing in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf.

- OIC resolution on Yemen

Baqaei also rejected a resolution adopted at an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers' meeting in Baghdad expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia against attacks by Yemen's Houthis.

He said Iran had formally opposed the resolution and did not consider it a valid OIC decision, citing what he called failure to follow the oganization's procedural rules.

According to Baqaei, Tehran also prevented the inclusion of two paragraphs concerning Yemen in the meeting's final declaration, arguing that their wording would deepen divisions among Muslim countries.

He said the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen should be resolved through dialogue and reconciliation rather than military force.

"The issue of Yemen cannot be resolved through force and military means," he said.

Baqaei called on neighboring countries to prevent foreign powers from using their territory and military facilities to threaten or attack other states.

He said preventing such activities was essential to establishing lasting regional security and maintaining good-neighborly relations.

The spokesperson also accused Israel's policies and territorial expansion of fueling regional instability.

He said the war in Gaza had not ended the suffering of Palestinians and reiterated Tehran's criticism of US and European support for Israel.

- Iran-Pakistan relations

Baqaei said the visit of Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to Tehran was primarily focused on strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.

Responding to speculation that Munir's visit involved delivering a political message or military threat, he said some exchanges between Tehran and Islamabad involved negotiations, but most focused on bilateral ties.

He emphasized the importance of relations between the neighboring countries and efforts to expand cooperation.

Baqaei said Tehran and Islamabad were working to resolve problems related to the closure of their shared border.

He said Pakistani officials had informed Iran that technical issues and system upgrades were responsible for the disruption.

The spokesperson expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved.