Iran’s foreign minister: Tehran ‘ready for war’ if Trump uses force

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned Washington that Tehran is ready for war should the United States decide to test the country militarily, following US President Donald Trump’s threat of military action in response to Iran’s crackdown on nationwide anti-government protests.

In an interview with Al Jazeera on Monday (January 12), Araghchi said communication channels between Tehran and Washington remain open amid ongoing unrest but stressed that his country is “fully prepared for any scenario.” 

He claimed that Iran’s current “large-scale and comprehensive military readiness” surpasses that of the 12-day war fought last year.

His comments came after Trump referred to Iran on Sunday while addressing the escalating protests, which began over worsening economic hardship and have evolved into calls for systemic change. 

The US president said he was considering “strong measures” against Iran’s violent suppression of protests, including possible military options.

Trump also noted that a meeting had been scheduled with Iran to discuss its nuclear programme, though he hinted that Washington “might act before” if the situation worsened.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Araghchi said: “If Washington wants to test the military option it has tested before, we are ready for it.” He added that he hoped the United States would choose the wiser path of dialogue, warning against those who seek to drag Washington into war for Israel’s interests.

Araghchi told Al Jazeera that communication with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had continued both before and after the recent protests, and that discussions were ongoing. 

He noted that proposals exchanged between the two sides were still under review in Tehran but criticised what he called the US’s contradictory approach of combining dialogue offers with threats.

“We are ready to sit at the nuclear negotiating table, provided that it is without threats or dictates,” Araghchi said, questioning whether Washington was genuinely prepared for fair and balanced talks.

“When it is ready, we will seriously consider the matter,” Iran’s top diplomat concluded.