In a speech following the Eid prayers in Tehran, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that if US President Donald Trump carries out his threat of bombing Iran, the United States will face a harsh retaliatory response. The statement was made on Monday, March 31, during the speech delivered to the Iranian people marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. The news was reported by Reuters.
On Sunday, Trump again threatened to attack Iran, stating that if Tehran does not agree to a new nuclear deal with Washington, bombings would take place in Iran. He had previously sent a letter to Iran’s leadership in early March, urging a decision within two months.
Khamenei remarked that the enmity between Iran and the US, as well as Israel, has always existed. He stated that although they are threatening to attack, he does not believe this is very likely. However, if they engage in any sort of hostile action, Iran would surely retaliate strongly. He also added that if they plan to create chaos in Iran like in the past, the Iranian people will handle it themselves.
Iranian authorities have accused Western countries of inciting protests in the country, particularly the widespread protests in 2022-2023 following the arrest and death of Mahsa Amini over hijab violations, as well as the nationwide protests in 2019 over fuel price hikes.
In response to the US letter, Iran has stated it will not engage in direct talks with Washington. However, according to Khamenei’s directive, Tehran is prepared to continue indirect negotiations.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, tweeted that a public threat of bombing a sovereign nation is a severe violation of the principles of international peace and security. He further stated, “Violence breeds violence, while peace shows the path to peace.” The US must choose its path and accept the consequences.
During his first presidential term (2017-2021), Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal, which had imposed strict limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Following this, Trump re-imposed tough US sanctions on Iran, which accelerated Iran’s uranium enrichment program, exceeding the limits set by the agreement.
Western powers have accused Iran of secretly pursuing a nuclear weapons program, pointing out that Tehran is enriching uranium to levels much higher than required for civilian nuclear energy. However, Iran has consistently stated that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes.