Iran Warns of Retaliation to Any Attack as US Tells UN All Options Remain on the Table

The United States warned Iran on Thursday that all options remain on the table to stop what it described as a brutal crackdown on nationwide anti-government protests that have reportedly killed more than 2,600 people. Iran pushed back strongly against the warning, cautioning that it would respond decisively to any military action.

Addressing an extraordinary meeting of the United Nations Security Council, US Ambassador Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump had made it clear that Washington would not remain passive as violence in Iran escalates.

“The Iranian people are demanding their freedom like never before in the Islamic Republic’s brutal history,” Waltz told the council. “The United States of America and President Donald J. Trump stand with the courageous Iranian people.”

Waltz added that Trump had made clear that the US was prepared to act. “President Trump is a man of action, not endless talk,” he said. “Every option is available to halt the carnage, and no one should understand that better than the leadership of the Iranian regime.”

Trump has repeatedly threatened Tehran with consequences as protests spread across the country. Human Rights organizations have reported that the crackdown has resulted in more than 2,600 deaths. On Thursday, however, Trump said he had been informed that killings were slowing and that there were no immediate plans for mass executions.

The White House also stated that Iran had postponed plans to carry out the execution of 800 people following pressure from the US administration.

Iran accuses US of fueling unrest

Iran strongly rejected the US accusations during the Security Council session. Deputy UN Ambassador Gholamhossein Darzi accused Washington of spreading misinformation and deliberately inciting unrest inside Iran.

“Any act of aggression, whether direct or indirect, will be met with a decisive, proportionate and lawful response,” Darzi said. “This is not a threat, but a statement of legal reality.”

Darzi also accused the US of using human rights rhetoric as a pretext for political destabilization and possible military intervention. He said Washington was attempting to portray itself as a defender of the Iranian people while undermining Iran’s sovereignty.

The Iranian official further criticized the United States over its own human rights record, citing the recent death of Renee Good in Minnesota, allegedly at the hands of a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.

Russia and Europe weigh in

Russia also condemned Washington’s stance. UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia warned against using military force to address the crisis and accused the US of convening the Security Council meeting to legitimize interference in Iran’s internal affairs.

Nebenzia urged the US to halt what he described as escalating actions and cautioned that further confrontation could plunge the region into deeper instability with consequences extending beyond the Middle East.

European powers echoed concerns over Iran’s conduct while stopping short of endorsing military action. France and Britain warned of additional Sanctions, with French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont describing the repression of protesters as “brutal” and calling on the international community to denounce the violence.