Iran has warned that it will view any form of attack as a declaration of full-scale war with tensions rising ahead of the expected arrival of a United States aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets in the Middle East. A senior Iranian official who spoke on the condition of anonymity on Friday said the country’s armed forces are on maximum alert and prepared for the worst.
The official emphasised that while Tehran hopes the American military buildup is not for any plan of any direct confrontation, however, Iran is taking no chances. “This time any attack, whether limited, surgical or under whatever rubric, will be considered an all-out war against us,” the official said. “Our reaction will be strong and harsh.”
The warning follows comments by US President Donald Trump that an “armada” was headed for Iran though he said he hoped military force would not have to be resorted to in the end.
Trump also repeated his threats to Tehran not to harm its protesters or to resume its nuclear efforts.
In turn, the Iranian official stated that any action that infringes on Iran’s sovereignty or territorial integrity will be met with retaliation, though they did not specify anything about how a retaliatory response could manifest.
He stressed the very reality that if a country seems to be under ceaseless military threats it hardly has any other option left except staying fully prepared to defend itself and restore the strategic balance in the event of an attack.
The United States has previously stepped up its military presence in the region at times of increased tension and has often called its military forays in the region precautionary or defensive.
However, last year Washington conducted a major military buildup before June’s strikes against nuclear facilities in Iran that raised concerns that the present military buildup might signal another step in already fragile relations between the two countries.
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