Syed Zafar Mehdi and Rania Abushamala
28 January 2026•Update: 28 January 2026
TEHRAN, Iran/ISTANBUL
Iranian officials have reacted strongly to the latest threat issued by US President Donald Trump, as a US military fleet moves toward Iranian waters amid escalating tensions between the long-time adversaries.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump issued a fresh warning to Iran, claiming that a “massive armada” is currently heading toward the country as he expressed hope that Tehran would “come to the table” to negotiate with Washington.
He said the fleet, led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, is larger than the one deployed to Venezuela earlier this month before the ouster of Nicolas Maduro and warned that it is “prepared to rapidly fulfil its missions with speed and violence if necessary.”
“Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘come to the table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties,” the US president wrote. “Time is running out; it is truly of the essence.”
In response, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country’s armed forces are fully prepared and have their “fingers on the trigger” to “immediately and powerfully respond to any aggression” by land, sea, or air.
“The valuable lessons learned from the 12-Day War have enabled us to respond even more strongly, rapidly, and profoundly,” the top Iranian diplomat said in a post on US social media company X.
“At the same time, Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair, and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL—on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation—which ensures Iran’s rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS.”
Araghchi stressed that nuclear weapons have no place in Iran’s security doctrine and said Tehran has “never sought to acquire them.”
Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also responded to Trump’s remarks, dismissing the idea of a “limited strike” as an “illusion” and warning that any US military action would mark the “beginning of a war.”
The former top security official said any “aggression” against Iran would trigger an “immediate and unprecedented” response, targeting not only the aggressor but also “all its supporters and the heart of Tel Aviv.”
In a separate warning, a senior Iranian lawmaker said assets linked to the "Trump Organization" could become “legitimate targets” if the US launches an attack on Iran.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, said he had a “piece of advice” for business partners of Trump.
“The Trump Organization may have experienced seventeen-fold growth last year, but it will no longer be a safe partner for you,” Azizi wrote on social media. “The first US miscalculation against Iran will expand the range of our legitimate targets.”
The lawmaker did not specify which “partners” he was referring to or where they are based.
Separately, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini said the Americans are “seeking to stir tensions and inject artificial fear into Iranian society.”
“The experience of the 12-day war showed that the military option against Iran has failed, and it is the armed forces of the Islamic Republic that determine the endgame of any war through initiative and action,” he noted.
Commenting on the American military fleet heading toward Iran, the IRGC spokesperson said “intimidation through war imagery and the deployment of aircraft carriers” is an “old tactic” employed by the US.
He further said that the Iranian armed forces have “full control over the situation on the battlefield” and have “action plans for all of its scenarios.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Araghchi told reporters in Tehran that attempts to impose diplomacy through military threats would be ineffective.
He noted that Iran has not yet decided whether to resume negotiations with the US, which were halted following the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June last year.
He also confirmed that there has been no direct contact in recent days between him and Trump’s West Asia envoy, Steve Witkoff, though he acknowledged that some regional countries are attempting to play a constructive role in de-escalating tensions.
Meanwhile, Iranian military commanders have vowed a “strong response” to any new US attack, warning that American military bases across the region could become legitimate targets.
According to reports, several regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, have stated that they will not allow their airspace to be used for any attack against Iran.
