Iran warns US against further military escalation

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has pledged full government support for the country’s armed forces as tensions with the United States continue to rise.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said his government would use all available resources to meet the military’s requirements. He said support for the armed forces would continue despite the country’s financial and other challenges.

The Iranian president’s remarks came amid growing concerns over a possible further escalation between Tehran and Washington.

An Iranian parliamentary security official also warned that Tehran would respond if the United States used nuclear weapons against Iran. Fada Hossein Maleki, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said Iran would respond according to the nature of any weapon used against it.

Maleki did not explicitly claim that Iran possesses nuclear weapons. However, he warned that any further US military action could trigger a response at the same level or beyond.

He said Iran had several military options and claimed that some of its capabilities had not yet been publicly revealed. According to Maleki, Tehran now considers itself capable of pursuing what he described as active deterrence.

The lawmaker also criticised the stalled diplomatic process between Iran and the United States. He accused Washington of failing to honour previous commitments and said Tehran would not return to negotiations unless those commitments were respected.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged of Iran considering possible strikes against US military assets in Europe if the conflict expands.

The Financial Times reported that Iranian forces had examined potential targets in southeastern Europe. The report cited people familiar with the Iranian government.

The reported assessments included US military facilities and assets in countries such as Bulgaria and Cyprus. Iran has also reportedly considered possible action against subsea communications infrastructure around the Strait of Hormuz if tensions worsen.

The reports come as efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remain stalled. Prospects for renewed talks between Tehran and Washington have also weakened.

NATO has responded by saying it remains prepared to deal with potential threats. A NATO official said the alliance’s deterrence and defence capabilities remained strong.

Iran has also issued a warning to Gulf countries. Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ali Abdollahi said any assistance provided to US forces would be viewed as participation in American military operations.

At the same time, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami urged caution. He criticised calls for expanding the conflict and said national policy should not be driven by emotion.

Khatami argued that Iran’s leaders must consider what serves the country’s long-term interests rather than allowing anger to determine military decisions.

Separately, the United Arab Emirates denied reports that it was providing financial facilities to Iran. UAE presidential diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash described the claims as false.

The UAE recently announced the suspension of commercial activities and financial exchanges with Iran amid rising regional tensions. The decision followed reports of Iranian missile launches toward the UAE