TEHRAN (Realist English). Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that Tehran is ready for war if the United States chooses to “test” it, responding to threats from US President Donald Trump over Iran’s crackdown on antigovernment protests.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic on Monday, Araghchi said communication channels with Washington remained open despite the unrest, but stressed that Iran was “prepared for all options”. He claimed Iran’s military readiness had significantly expanded since last year’s 12-day war.
Trump said on Sunday that he was considering “strong options” against Iran, including potential military action, as protests driven by economic hardship escalated into broader demands for political change. He added that talks were being arranged with Tehran over its nuclear programme, but warned that action could come before any meeting if the situation deteriorated.
“If Washington wants to test the military option it has tested before, we are ready,” Araghchi said, while urging the US to choose dialogue and warning against efforts to draw Washington into a conflict “to serve Israel’s interests”.
Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on “terrorist elements” infiltrating protests, accusing the US and Israel of fuelling the crisis. State media say more than 100 security personnel have been killed, while opposition activists report higher figures that include hundreds of protesters. The numbers could not be independently verified.
An internet blackout imposed last week has restricted information flows. Monitoring group NetBlocks said Iran had been offline for 96 hours as of late Monday, though Araghchi said access would be gradually restored in coordination with security services.
Araghchi also said contacts with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had continued before and after the protests, with proposals under review in Tehran. However, he said US ideas and threats were “incompatible”, adding that Iran was ready to return to nuclear talks only if they were conducted “without threats or dictates”.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that US forces and Israel would become “legitimate targets” if Washington intervened, cautioning against a “miscalculation”.
The White House pushed back, with spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt accusing Tehran of sending different messages in private and public. The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House was weighing Iran’s offer for further military talks even as Trump considered possible strikes.
The United States last year joined Israel in air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during a brief but intense conflict, a precedent now weighing heavily over the latest crisis.