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US President Donald Trump delivered a forceful warning to Iran's top leadership this week, saying Iran's supreme leader "should be very worried" as the two countries prepare for resumed nuclear negotiations, according to excerpts from a Wednesday interview with NBC News, reported CNN.
In the interview, Trump was asked directly about Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the mounting pressure on Tehran from Washington and regional actors. "I would say he should be very worried, yeah. He should be," Trump said, underscoring the administration's increasingly tough rhetoric toward Iran even as diplomatic contacts continue. Meanwhile, Iran has conditionally agreed to hold talks with the US to avert the threat of further military strikes, CNN reported. The push for renewed diplomacy comes after weeks of escalatory rhetoric between Washington and Tehran. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that unless Iran agrees to a deal on its nuclear program, "bad things" could happen, a message that has been amplified by the movement of a US carrier strike group and other military assets into the Middle East. According to CNN, the discussions are expected to be held in Oman. Iran's ISNA news agency also reported Oman as the venue for talks on Friday. Iran's top military commander asserted that the country has bolstered its deterrence capabilities through upgrades to domestically produced ballistic missile systems. Providing context to the remarks, Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported that on Wednesday, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Abdolrahim Mousavi made the comments during a visit to a missile facility operated by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), accompanied by IRGC Aerospace Force commander Brigadier General Majid Mousavi. Describing the scope of the upgrades, Mousavi noted, "By upgrading its ballistic missiles in all technical dimensions, Iran has been able to strengthen its deterrence power," during the tour. Building on this, he also highlighted Iran's readiness to confront any hostile move, adding, "Following the 12-day war, we have changed our military doctrine from defensive to offensive by adopting the policy of asymmetric warfare and [boosting readiness for a] crushing response to the enemies," according to Press TV. (ANI)
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