Iran warns regional states of ‘different and decisive’ response to future attacks

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, on Sunday warned that any future use of regional countries’ territory to attack Tehran would provoke a “different and decisive” response, according to Press TV.

Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, Baghaei said regional countries must reconsider their actions, adding that Iran and the regional countries were “eternal neighbours.”

“If in the future we witness another aggression by America and the Zionist regime and their soil is used to attack Iran, certainly the response will be different,” Baghaei said.

According to Press TV, he called on neighbouring states not to allow parties that have shown no regard for regional security and prosperity to abuse their facilities and territory.

Baghaei also stated that the Strait of Hormuz was the main focus of Iran’s negotiations to end the war with the US.

“Securing the Strait of Hormuz, or restoring security to this waterway, requires specific steps from the American side,” Baghaei said, as cited by IRNA news agency.

“This issue has been discussed many times, including stopping interference with Iranian commercial shipping, ending sanctions, and other interventionist measures,” he added.

Baghaei said the latest US proposal to Iran to end the war was almost identical to previous proposals, adding that Washington continued to focus on the nuclear file.

“We will conduct the necessary investigations regarding some details and will also reflect our supplementary points to the other party,” he noted.

The spokesman said Iran’s top leadership had not discussed allowing International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to return to the country.

IRGC warns US, Israel against further escalation

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander Brigadier General Ali Fadavi warned on Sunday that any further US and Israeli escalation against Iran would be disadvantageous, adding that US vessels were “fully exposed” to Iranian attacks and any source used to strike Tehran would be considered a legitimate target, Press TV reported.

Fadavi underlined that Iran had not attacked neighbouring Islamic countries, but only US bases and interests, and claimed the Strait of Hormuz had “unequivocally” remained under Iranian control in recent months.

According to Press TV, Fadavi also warned that Washington would be “foolish” to launch new aggression against Iran, while stating that regional states could stand up to the US if they chose to.

Araghchi says Tehran serious about diplomatic path, rules out ‘military solution’ to end war

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is “serious about finding diplomatic solutions, just as we are serious about defending ourselves,” Al Jazeera reported on Sunday.

Araghchi said there was no military solution to his country’s conflict with the United States, as talks aimed at ending the war appeared to have reached an impasse, AFP reported.

“If our enemies again choose the path of military confrontation, our response will be stronger than before, and we will defend ourselves with even more force,” Araghchi said at a gathering of foreign ambassadors.

“There is no military solution, nor any solution based on new sanctions,” he added.

Iran to increase the range of its missiles, army spokesperson tells Fars

Iran will upgrade the range of its missiles following the war with the US, as American forces are now positioned as much as 1,000 km (621 miles) away from the Iranian coast, Army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia told Fars news on Sunday.

“During this war, we concluded that we absolutely must increase the range of our missiles, and we have now moved in that direction,” he said.

Iran says Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until Islamabad MoU conditions are met: Nournews

The Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until seven Iranian conditions set out in a June interim agreement with the US are met, Nournews reported Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said on Sunday, a few days after Tehran received Washington’s reply to its diplomatic proposal.

“The Americans, who say something different in the media, have recently put forward proposals through a mediator. But they must understand that the period of dragging out the process and dictating one-sided demands is over,” Ghalibaf was quoted as saying.

“The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is completely clear and firm, and the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until our seven conditions, based on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, are met.”

Iran ready to “both fight and negotiate,” says parliament speaker

Iran’s parliament speaker said on Sunday that Tehran is “neither excited nor intimidated” by the US’ actions, stressing that Iran is prepared to “both fight and negotiate.”

“We are present in the military battlefield with all our strength and we will face them with new surprises, and we use the tools of diplomacy to establish our superiority in the military field and impose the rights of the Iranian people,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told parliament, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Iran army plans volunteer training programme for “national defence”

The Iranian army plans to begin training volunteers under a programme aimed at preparing citizens for “national defence”, Al Jazeera reported, citing the West Asia News Agency (WANA).

Iran has also opened a military training centre for everyday citizens in Tehran as part of the programme.

Hegseth says Trump has “options” if Iran “play games” over Hormuz

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains “ironclad”, warning that President Donald Trump has “options” if Iran continues to “play games” with the vital sea passage, Al Jazeera reported.

US carrier George HW Bush visits Thailand after Middle East deployment

The US aircraft carrier George HW Bush arrived off Thailand’s ​resort island of Phuket on Sunday ‌with about 4,800 personnel aboard for a rest-and-recreation break after months of supporting US operations ​in the Middle East.

The Nimitz-class ​carrier had been operating in the ⁠Arabian Sea during the conflict with Iran, ​according to multiple media reports.

The carrier will ​anchor offshore, while crew members are expected to come ashore through Phuket Deep Sea Port ​and spend time on the popular ​southern resort island from October 4 to 9, local ‌media ⁠reported.

The visit follows a five-day port call by the US carrier Abraham Lincoln at Laem Chabang in eastern Thailand last ​month, with ​about ⁠5,000 sailors and Marines aboard.

A local mayor had estimated each ​US service member from the ​Lincoln ⁠could spend up to 3,000 baht ($89) per day during the visit.

Thailand is the United ⁠States’ ​only treaty partner in ​mainland Southeast Asia.

Trump says Iran has ‘virtually given up’ any plans for nuclear weapons

US President Donald Trump suggested on Saturday that Iran has “virtually given up” any plans to develop nuclear weapons, one of his administration’s most frequently stated objectives in the war with Tehran, now in its eighth month.

Trump also claimed oil prices were currently decreasing, long elevated after Israel and the US launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.

“Oil is coming down. Oil is right now lower, and it’s been lower than it was under the Biden administration, and they did nothing about the fact that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House to attend a rally in the state of Ohio.

“By the way, Iran, as you know, has virtually given up any plans of a nuclear weapon,” he added.

Iran has long denied accusations by the US and Israel that it seeks to develop nuclear weapons, a position reiterated by President Masoud Pezeshkian during his visit last month to New York for the UN General Assembly.

Pezeshkian said Tehran is not seeking nuclear weapons because of a religious prohibition, and offered to dilute its enriched uranium stockpiles under international verification.

Iran, however, has maintained that it will not compromise on its peaceful civilian nuclear program or make structural concessions unless the US lifts economic sanctions