Iran Issues New Warning to US-'All Necessary Options on the Table'
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned Thursday that "all necessary options are on the table" to respond to a potential strike by the United States.
President Donald Trump has been considering strikes against Iran aimed at diminishing the country's nuclear capabilities amid concerns that it may be developing nuclear weapons, which the president has stated it cannot have, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
The conflict escalated last week after Israel launched strikes at Iran targeting nuclear capabilities. The two countries have since fired strikes back-and-forth in recent days, fueling concerns about the possibility of a wider war involving the United States. The conflict could reshape affairs in the region and across the globe for years to come.
The warning came as Trump has reportedly been warming up to the idea of striking Iran directly, while the U.S. already has been providing military support to Israel amid the heightened conflict with Tehran.
"If the U.S. wants to actively intervene in support of Israel, Iran will have no other option but to use its tools to teach aggressors a lesson and defend itself," Gharibabadi said, Russia's Tass news agency reported, citing Iranian media. "Our military decision-makers have all necessary options on the table," he said.
"Our recommendation to the US is to at least stand by if they do not wish to stop Israel's aggression," the Iranian diplomat said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a briefing that Trump will "make a decision within the next two weeks" about whether to join the war.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Thursday threatened an "immediate" response to any third party that intervenes in its ongoing conflict with Israel, though it did not specifically mention the U.S. by name. The U.S. has many bases in the region that some fear could become Iranian targets.
Trump has not confirmed what he plans to do about the conflict. He has reportedly reviewed strike options but is waiting to see whether Iran de-escalates its nuclear activities. He is aware of the diplomatic effort being undertaken, with EU officials meeting with the Iranian foreign minister in Switzerland on Friday.
Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, in a statement emailed to Newsweek: "In 2002, in testimony to Congress urging the United States to go to war in Iraq, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated: 'There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is seeking... nuclear weapons....If you take out Saddam's regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations.'
"Netanyahu was wrong. Very wrong. The war in Iraq resulted in 4,492 U.S. military deaths, over 32,000 wounded, and a cost of roughly three trillion dollars. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis also died as a result of that tragic war. Netanyahu was wrong regarding the war in Iraq. He is wrong now. We must not get involved in Netanyahu's war against Iran."
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in a post to X (formerly Twitter): "Over the weekend, I directed the deployment of additional capabilities to the United States Central Command Area of Responsibility. Protecting U.S. forces is our top priority and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region."
President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday: "I don't want to fight either. I'm not looking to fight. But if it's a choice between fighting and them having a nuclear weapon, you have to do what you have to do, and maybe we won't have to fight."
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, in a public address: "The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage. The U.S. entering in this matter is 100 percent to its own detriment. The damage it will suffer will be far greater than any harm that Iran may encounter."
Debate continues about whether the U.S. should join the conflict. While some have argued it is strategic to ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon, others have said the U.S. should not get involved in a war on Israel's behalf. Members of Congress are pushing to limit Trump's ability to join the conflict without their authorization.
Update 6/19/25, 2:01 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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