Iran warns U.S. forces ready to respond to threats amid talks pause
Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Iran's chief negotiator warned the U.S. against threats, stating its armed forces are ready to respond.
- The warning came after President Trump threatened to strike Iran if it continued to support proxies causing trouble in Lebanon.
- Talks between the U.S. and Iran in Switzerland, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, were reportedly paused following Trump's threats, though this remains unconfirmed.
Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued a stern warning to the United States on Sunday, asserting that Iran's armed forces are prepared to retaliate against any threats. This statement directly addressed U.S. President Donald Trump's recent warning on social media, where he threatened to strike Iran "harder" if its proxies continued to cause trouble in Lebanon.
Our armed forces are ready to respond.
Ghalibaf dismissed Trump's threats as ineffective, questioning whether the U.S. would be in its current "desperate situation" if its threats had any real impact. He advised the U.S. to be cautious with its words, emphasizing that Iran's military is ready to respond in various ways and that Iran is the one taking action. The exchange occurred amidst ongoing talks in Switzerland between the U.S. and Iran, with Pakistan and Qatar mediating, aimed at finalizing an agreement to end the war.
They had better be careful with their words; our armed forces are ready to respond to them in different ways. Regardless of what they say, we are the ones who take action.
Trump's warning specifically targeted Iran's alleged high-paid proxies causing disruptions in Lebanon, referencing the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. While there were no immediate reports of Israeli airstrikes or ongoing clashes, the situation has threatened peace efforts. Reports from Iran's Fars news agency suggested that Trump's threats had caused the talks to halt, but this has not been officially confirmed. The situation is further complicated by a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran that reportedly includes a commitment not to use force or threaten each other.
Iran must immediately stop supporting proxies that are causing a lot of trouble!
Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.