Ashhar Alam/New Delhi

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, considered the Islamic Republic’s top diplomat, has delivered what analysts are calling his most direct and forceful warning to the United States to date, in the midst of mounting unrest and an uncompromising government crackdown on nationwide protests.

In an opinion piece published in The Wall Street Journal, Araghchi declared that Iran’s armed forces would respond “with everything we have” if the country faces renewed attack from the U.S. or its allies. He framed the statement not as an idle threat but as a matter of defensive resolve, even as he professed abhorrence of war language intended to signal both deterrence and seriousness to global audiences.

The warning comes against a backdrop of severe internal repression. Iran has been enforcing a violent crackdown on protests that erupted late last year, leading to widespread arrests and a significant loss of life. These demonstrations, originally sparked by economic distress, rapidly escalated into mass anti‑government demonstrations, drawing global condemnation over human rights violations.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have also been heightened by U.S. military movements in the region, including the repositioning of an American aircraft carrier group toward the Middle East, which analysts say reflects heightened alertness amid fears of escalation.

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Iran’s diplomatic threats coincide with growing international concern over the scale of the protests and the government’s response, prompting diplomatic pushback from several Western nations and intensified scrutiny by global institutions.

In sum, Araghchi’s statement marks a notable escalation in rhetoric from Iran’s leadership toward the United States, underscoring how domestic unrest and geopolitical rivalry are now intertwined in a volatile confrontation.