Qalibaf's Threat Regarding Attacks on U.S. Regional Bases if Actions Against Iran Continue

Simultaneously with the confirmation of Tehran's written response to Donald Trump's letter by the Islamic Republic, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly issued a warning to the U.S. and its military bases in the region. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, on Friday, April 8, referred to Washington's warning about a potential military attack on Iran if the country's nuclear program continues, claiming that under such circumstances, Tehran would target U.S. military bases in the region. The Speaker of Iran's Parliament also implicitly threatened regional countries, stating: 'The Americans know how vulnerable they are, and if they violate Iran's territory, it will be like a spark in a powder keg that will explode the entire region, and then their bases and those of their allies will not be safe.' Previously, Donald Trump had emphasized in a letter to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic that 'Iran has only two options: a new agreement or military confrontation.' Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, claiming that there was 'no reasonable discussion about lifting sanctions' in Trump's recent letter to Ali Khamenei, stated: 'The path to reducing pressure on the people relies on internal capabilities, leading to greater cohesion and a better economy, and then the enemy [the U.S.] will be forced to return to logical and fair negotiations, which we have always kept open and continued with the remaining countries in the JCPOA.' On the same day, Iranian media, without providing details, quoted Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, stating that Trump's letter, although threatening, also opened doors for diplomacy. On Thursday, Kamal Kharrazi, an advisor to Ali Khamenei and head of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations of Iran, also stated that the Islamic Republic has not 'closed all avenues for resolving disputes with the United States and is ready to begin indirect negotiations with the U.S.' Since the news of the letter from the U.S. President to Ali Khamenei became public, Khamenei had called it 'deception,' and Abbas Araghchi emphasized that as long as Washington maintains its 'maximum pressure' policy, negotiations would be 'impossible.' The Iranian Foreign Minister on Thursday emphasized a 'thorough and comprehensive' review of the letter and announced that a response had been sent via Oman. Donald Trump withdrew from the comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran known as the JCPOA during his first term and reinstated and even intensified sanctions against Tehran. Shortly thereafter, Iran began a gradual withdrawal from the provisions of the JCPOA, including increasing the amount and purity of uranium enrichment. With Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles increasing to a purity of sixty percent, Western powers increasingly accuse Tehran of having a secret program to produce and develop nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iran has always emphasized that the nature of its nuclear program is entirely peaceful; however, recently several officials of the Islamic Republic have spoken about the possibility of a 'change in Iran's nuclear doctrine.' At the same time, the annual report of U.S. intelligence agencies released on Tuesday, April 5, states that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and that the Supreme Leader has not reconsidered the nuclear weapons program that was suspended in 2003.