Iran warns of unfettered retaliation if attacked as mediators try for peace

Tehran, Iran – Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a strongly worded message to the Iranian armed forces, as mediators continue to try to prevent a new breakout of war between Iran and the United States. Senior diplomats from Qatar held extensive talks in Tehran on Friday, with further talks expected on Saturday.

Iranian authorities say they are prepared to respond forcefully amid reports that the US and Israel are preparing for new strikes on Iran. Khamenei, who has not been seen or heard from since replacing his assassinated father in March, met with senior military commanders and gave them important strategic directives.

The Supreme Leader required maximum deterrence through preparedness for an immediate and effective response, without geographical restriction if the country is attacked again, according to a statement released by his office.

Diplomatic efforts

The development comes days after US Vice President JD Vance wrote a letter to Tehran, reportedly addressed to Mohsen Rezaei, the Supreme National Security Council leader who has become central to strategic decision-making in Iran. Exact details of the letter remain unclear, but Vance is believed to have called for nuclear commitments from Iran.

US President Donald Trump earlier rejected reports that he had ordered renewed peace talks, instead claiming without elaborating that the Vance letter was concerned with allowing medical supplies into Iran. According to Iranian media, Tehran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within several days in exchange for a return to the June memorandum of understanding remains the baseline for negotiations.

Iran's demands include lifting the US maritime blockade on Iranian ports, waivers on oil sanctions, and a truce for regional conflicts, including in Lebanon where Israeli forces continue to occupy the country's south. Local media confirmed Iran received the letter but didn't specify if an official response has been given.

Maritime tensions

Iran and the US have kept up their attempts to assert control in the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC has continued attacking ships while the US military provides guidance and cover for a shuttle system to get oil from Arab states out of the waterway. Local authorities reported on Saturday that two fishing boats were bombed by a US drone south of Qeshm island, wounding several fishermen.

Iranian state television claimed at least six tankers, including a very large crude carrier carrying two million barrels of oil, were damaged by explosions after allegedly hitting mines in recent days. The UKMTO reported a new type of attack where a small boat attached explosive devices to a tanker's hull, causing a fire.

The maritime monitor recorded 155 inbound and 122 outbound transits through the Strait of Hormuz in the week ending October 28, which was 70 percent lower than pre-war levels. US Central Command chief Brad Cooper claimed he didn't see any IRGC vessels during a recent flight over the strait, saying Iran's navy is all at the bottom of the sea.

Escalating rhetoric

The rhetoric from Tehran has hardened after eight months of war. Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia warned the Trump administration against attacking Iran, stating that if the US president once more embarks on adventurism in the region through threats and greed of the Zionists, the fire of war will undoubtedly engulf a wider geography.

Iran's security chief Rezaei responded to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's statement that the costs of war had exceeded 100 billion euros for Europe, writing that Europe was whining now even though it cheered the war earlier. When you cheered on war crimes, did you think the fallout wouldn't hit you, too? he wrote on X.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reminded that Merz had celebrated Israel and the US doing the dirty work for Europe during last year's war. 100bn Euro is nothing compared to the Earth-shattering blow Iran's Powerful Armed Forces will deal against those who dare harm our people, he wrote. Red lines are a thing of the past.

US Senator Chris Murphy said he had met with senior officials about what a short military campaign would look like if the war resumes, calling their plan insane and warning it would lead to devastating escalation. Eric Brewer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative questioned the effectiveness of military strikes against Iran's infrastructure, noting that there is no military solution for remaining nuclear sites and that Iran would retaliate across the region.