US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran after chants calling for his death were reportedly heard at the funeral of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Besides, Israeli intelligence has reportedly warned Washington of a new assassination plot targeting Trump.
In a strongly worded post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump declared that the United States was prepared to respond with overwhelming military force if Iran attempted to assassinate him.
He claimed that “1,000 missiles” were ready to strike the Islamic Republic and warned that thousands more would follow if the Iranian government carried out or supported any attack against the sitting US president, reports Al Jazeera.
Trump also said he had already authorised military preparations, adding that US forces were ready to “completely decimate and destroy” targets across Iran for up to one year, with the option of extending the operation if necessary.
Earlier this week, Israel reportedly shared intelligence with the United States indicating that Iran was actively pursuing a new and specific plan to assassinate Trump.
According to US media, including CNN and The Wall Street Journal, the intelligence described the threat as both credible and recent.
Iran has repeatedly vowed to avenge the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike ordered by Trump during his first term in office.
The reported threat was serious enough for the US Secret Service to recommend that Trump change aircraft after attending the NATO summit in Türkiye earlier this week, according to media reports.
Despite escalating rhetoric, Trump indicated that diplomatic engagement with Tehran remains underway.
Although he declared that the temporary ceasefire had ended following Iranian attacks on Qatari and Saudi tankers near the Strait of Hormuz and subsequent US airstrikes on Iran, he said both sides had agreed to continue negotiations.
In another Truth Social post, Trump wrote that Iran had requested further talks and that Washington had agreed, while making clear that, in the US view, the ceasefire was no longer in effect.
Responding to the latest US pressure, Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran would not surrender to Washington under any circumstances.
He maintained that Iran remained fully prepared to defend itself if the United States abandoned the Pakistani-mediated memorandum of understanding.
“We have never stopped preparing to defend our country,” Ghalibaf said, adding that Iran was ready for full-scale defence if the agreement was violated.
He also stressed that while ending the conflict remained a global priority, the war would never conclude through Iran’s surrender.
Even as military tensions continue, diplomatic contacts have intensified. Qatari mediators have travelled to Tehran in an effort to revive stalled negotiations.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is in Muscat, Oman, holding discussions focused on security in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, expressing deep concern over the latest escalation and urging both Tehran and Washington to exercise restraint.
According to a report, diplomatic efforts had accelerated following the recent de-escalation, although Iranian officials remained deeply sceptical of US intentions after the latest airstrikes and Trump’s remarks.
It also mentioned that said US officials continue to insist that any future agreement must include strict limits on Iran’s nuclear programme and the transfer of its nuclear materials.
While describing recent discussions as constructive, senior US officials have also issued fresh warnings following Iran’s reported targeting of commercial vessels.
