TEHRAN, Iran - Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered the country’s armed forces to prepare an immediate response without geographic limits if the United States or Israel launches another attack.
Khamenei called for a rapid and consequential response to any new strike, according to a statement carried by Iranian state media. Military commanders reported increased readiness along Iran’s Persian Gulf coast, around the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, and on the country’s northwestern and southeastern borders.
The warning comes as Washington weighs its options after the U.S. midterm elections. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump had not decided whether to order new strikes and would prefer a diplomatic outcome, while retaining the ability to use force.
Talks Continue in Doha
Iranian negotiators held consultations with Qatari mediators in Doha after more than 12 hours of discussions in Tehran. Reuters reported that the mediators remained in contact with Washington, though significant gaps persist between the sides.
A seven-day confidence-building proposal remains under discussion. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said an updated plan could fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if Washington accepts Tehran’s conditions.
Iran has demanded sanctions relief, the restoration of oil waivers, the release of frozen assets and arrangements placing maritime traffic through an agreed Hormuz corridor under Iranian supervision. Tehran says the format of direct or indirect negotiations will depend on Washington’s response to those conditions.
Nuclear Doctrine Under Discussion
Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said Iranian officials are debating whether to reconsider the country’s longstanding ban on nuclear weapons if hostilities resume. He stressed that no official decision has been made and that Iran’s current nuclear doctrine remains unchanged.
Rezaei said Iran’s nuclear commitments and continued participation in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons could be discussed at a later stage if Tehran’s nuclear rights are recognized.
He also confirmed that Iran received a new message through U.S. intermediaries but had not yet sent a response. Rezaei described the tone as more positive than previous correspondence.
Diplomatic contacts are therefore continuing as both sides prepare for the possibility of renewed fighting. The main disputes include navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions, restrictions affecting Iranian ports and the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
Sources: Vesti Baku; Associated Press.