Iran's army chief, General Amir Hatami, issued a stern warning on Wednesday, stating that the Islamic Republic will not tolerate continued hostile rhetoric from the United States and Israel without a response.
This comes amid escalating tensions following public support from US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for anti-government protests in Iran.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the escalation of hostile rhetoric against the Iranian nation a threat and will not tolerate its continuation without responding," General Hatami said, according to the Fars news agency.
Hatami's remarks emphasize that Iran views statements from Washington and Jerusalem as direct threats, particularly in light of recent comments backing potential military actions.
The warning follows President Trump's statements aboard Air Force One, where he affirmed that the US is closely monitoring developments in Iran and would respond strongly if authorities resumed crackdowns on protesters.
Trump also expressed support for possible Israeli strikes should Iran advance its ballistic missile or nuclear programs. Similarly, Prime Minister Netanyahu has reiterated that Israel would deliver a "very severe" response if attacked by Iran, and discussions with Trump reportedly included understandings on joint actions regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Analysts suggest this rhetoric reflects a broader strategy to pressure Iran amid ongoing internal unrest, with Iran's Defense Council recently indicating a readiness to preempt threats if detected. However Iran has restrained its crackdown on protests, possibly in response to these international warnings.