Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

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The United States State Department on Saturday warned Iran against striking American military bases, saying Washington is tracking reports of possible attacks and underlining that all options remain on the table if Iranian forces target U.S. assets, Azernews reports.

In a message posted on its Persian-language account on X, the State Department reiterated earlier warnings by President Donald Trump that if the Islamic Republic were to attack American installations, it would face “very, very powerful force,” and cautioned Tehran not to “play games” with the U.S. leadership.

This message comes at a time of escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington against the backdrop of one of the most serious internal crises in Iran in decades. Nationwide protests that began over economic hardship have morphed into a broader anti-regime movement, drawing sharp reactions from the U.S., which has offered conditional support to demonstrators and threatened consequences for human rights abuses.

U.S. officials have repeatedly emphasized that they are watching developments closely. In remarks to the United Nations Security Council, the U.S. ambassador reaffirmed that Washington is prepared to consider all options — including military action — to respond to threats or significant violence, although diplomatic channels remain open.

The warning comes amid reports that the U.S. military has repositioned forces in the region, including precautionary reductions in personnel at the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, as concerns persist about potential direct confrontation.

Iran has also signaled readiness to retaliate if it faces military aggression. Tehran has publicly warned that it would respond forcefully to any attacks and has communicated through regional intermediaries that targeting U.S. bases, or using neighboring airspaces for attacks, would be considered acts of hostility.