Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the United States against renewed military action against Tehran, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of pushing Washington towards another war in order to avoid his own legal troubles.
The remarks , made in a post on X, came after US President Donald Trump publicly backed Netanyahu ahead of Israel's October 27 parliamentary election and warned that Washington could resume its efforts to defeat Iran. In response Araghchi stated that Tehran had emerged stronger from the previous conflict and was prepared to respond if hostilities resumed.
"Last time you wanted to "finish the job", Iran emerged even stronger. Want to try your luck again? Be our guest. But be careful; we have unfinished jobs too," he said.
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Araghchi's post came after Trump claimed that Iran had been systematically weakened and warned that the United States could "soon finish the job" against Iran unless Tehran changed its course of action.
Trump made these remarks while publicly endorsing Netanyahu ahead of Israel's parliamentary elections. He described Netanyahu as a "Great Warrior Prime Minister" and an important partner in confronting Iran.
The exchange comes ahead of a closely watched election in Israel, where Netanyahu and his right wing Likud party face a challenging contest. According to Reuters, opinion polls ahead of the election have raised questions about whether Netanyahu's coalition can retain power or not.
Trump's endorsement of Netanyahu was significant as the US president had reportedly withheld explicit support for the Israeli Prime Minister for months as the two leaders experienced disagreements over their strategies concerning Iran and the wider Middle East conflict.
The warning also came amid a wider confrontation involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Tehran has reportedly maintained that it is ready to defend itself against further attacks with Araghchi asserting that Iran has emerged stronger from the previous conflict.
The confrontation also has implications for regional security and global energy markets, particularly amid disputes over the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for international oil shipments.
Reuters reported on Sunday, that Iran had proposed reopening the strategic waterway within seven days, subject to conditions that included the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports and a cessation of hostilities across regional fronts.
The latest statements highlight the competing messages from Washington and Tehran: Trump has threatened further action against Iran, while Araghchi has warned that renewed hostilities could trigger another response from Tehran.
For now, the exchange reflects escalating rhetoric between the two sides, rather than confirmation that a new US military operation has been ordered.
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