Iran threatens Tel Aviv after Trump warning

“The response will be immediate, comprehensive, and unprecedented,” Shamkhani said.

By World Israel News Staff

Iran issued some of its most explicit threats to date on Wednesday, including a direct warning of strikes on Tel Aviv, as senior officials signaled readiness for full-scale war and rejected the idea of limited military confrontation.

Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said that “a limited strike is an illusion,” warning that any U.S. military action, “by any actor and at any level,” would be considered the opening of a war.

“The response will be immediate, comprehensive, and unprecedented,” he said, adding that retaliation would be directed not only at the attacker but also “at the heart of Tel Aviv and all those supporting the aggression.”

המכה המוגבלת היא אשליה. כל פעולה צבאית מצד אמריקה, מכל מקור ובכל רמה, תיחשב לתחילתה של מלחמה, והתגובה תהיה מיידית, מקיפה וחסרת תקדים, ותכוון אל התוקפן, אל לב תל אביב וכל התומכים בו.

— علی شمخانی (@alishamkhani_ir) January 28, 2026

The remarks were issued in direct response to a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said a powerful American naval force was mobilizing with “great power, enthusiasm, and purpose,” urged Iran to negotiate, and warned that “time is running out” and that the consequences would be far worse if Tehran refused.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi struck a similarly defiant tone, saying Iran’s armed forces are “prepared, with their fingers on the trigger, to immediately and powerfully respond to any aggression against our land, air, or sea.”

Referring to what he described as the “12-day war,” Araghchi said the lessons learned have enabled Iran to respond “even more strongly, rapidly, and profoundly.”

At the same time, Araghchi claimed Iran remains open to diplomacy under strict conditions.

“Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair, and equitable nuclear deal, on equal footing and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation,” he said, arguing such an agreement would guarantee Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology while ensuring that it does not possess nuclear weapons.

“Such weapons have no place in our security calculations,” he added, insisting Iran has never sought to acquire them.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps dismissed the U.S. military buildup as psychological warfare, saying that “intimidation by creating a climate of war and sending an aircraft carrier is an old American style.”

The IRGC accused Washington of trying to influence Iranian public opinion, insisting that Iran “controls the situation on the ground.”

It said experience from the 12-day war proved the failure of military options against Iran and warned that Iran’s armed forces would determine how any fighting ends. “We have operational plans for all scenarios and full oversight of enemy movements,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran has already rejected several U.S. demands.

A senior Iranian official told the paper that Tehran will not compromise on its right to enrich uranium for what it calls civilian purposes or on its missile stockpiles, and that Iranian officials are wary of making concessions specifically for Trump, underscoring how far apart the sides remain despite escalating pressure.

Abbas AraghchiAli ShamkhaniIran threatTel Aviv