Trump Braces for the Storm... Iran Signals a Broader Response

The confrontation between Washington and Tehran escalated as U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a resumption of strikes and a “calm before the storm,” warning that “time is running out for Iran,” while Tehran held fast to its conditions for ending the war, amid stalled Pakistani mediation and continued tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump warned Iran that “there will be nothing left of it” if it does not move quickly, following a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that addressed the Iranian file. He told Israel’s Channel 12 that Washington would strike Iran “with greater force” if it does not present an improved offer in the coming days.

In response, Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi said Washington would face “unprecedented, offensive and surprising scenarios.” Deputy Parliament Speaker Hamid Reza Haji Babaei also threatened to target energy facilities in the region if Iranian oil exports are harmed.

Media outlets affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard said the U.S. response includes five conditions, most notably the handover of 400 kilograms of uranium and the retention of only one nuclear facility, with no compensation or broad release of assets.

In the UAE, the Ministry of Defense announced that air defenses confronted three drones that entered the country’s airspace from the direction of the western border, intercepting two of them, while the third struck an electricity generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah nuclear plant, without causing injuries or affecting radiological safety. Riyadh strongly condemned the attack on the UAE. The Saudi Foreign Ministry stressed its categorical rejection of these blatant attacks that threaten the region’s security and stability, affirming its solidarity with the UAE and its support for all measures it takes to preserve its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.