Iran Warns US: Any Attack Will Be Met First

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran would carry out preemptive strikes against US and "Israeli" targets if it identifies signs of an imminent attack.

The warning comes after US President Donald Trump and "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the protests in Iranian cities triggered by soaring inflation and an economic downturn.

“Let those who threaten Iran be warned. Any attack on Iran will make both the occupied territories, all military centers and bases, and American ships in the region legitimate targets,” Ghalibaf said on Saturday.

“We do not limit ourselves to responding only after an attack and will act based on objective signs of a threat, so that no one makes miscalculations that will lead them to disaster,” he added.

Trump has said the US would “help” the protesters if the government continues to crack down on riots sweeping the country. “You better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting too,” he said. Netanyahu has also expressed support for the protesters.

According to the New York Times, Trump has been briefed on military options, including strikes on non-military targets in Tehran, though a final decision has not been made.