US strikes on Iran won't impede negotiations, officials say, but Tehran threatens retaliation

US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching a "very good" deal with Iran, even after the US conducted strikes against the country. In a phone call with ABC News, Trump stated his belief that negotiations could still succeed, just before the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the strikes.

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A proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.

CENTCOM described the strikes as a "proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression," referencing the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz. Multiple US officials echoed the sentiment that the military action would not hinder ongoing negotiations, with one CNN source suggesting the strikes served as a warning shot. A senior White House official told POLITICO that a deal with Iran remained "still close," differentiating between military actions and diplomatic efforts.

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A helicopter was downed yesterday. We have to respond in kind, but at the same time, there’s still a deal trying to be negotiated. So, two things can happen at the same time.

However, Iranian officials issued strong warnings of retaliation. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that Iranian forces would "leave no attack or threat unanswered" and advised foreign military personnel to "leave our region if you want to be safe." He had previously warned that personnel near Iranian territory were "at constant risk." Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf also stated that while Iran "prefers the language of diplomacy," it speaks "other languages far more fluently" and warned, "Break your commitments, and we’ll switch to what we speak best."

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Leave our region if you want to be safe.