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Iran has warned it would defend itself and “respond like never before” if pushed after Donald Trump threatened a military attack with a “massive armada” moving toward the country.
Writing on social media, the US president said “time is running out” for Iran to negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme. A large fleet, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, was on its way to the country, he said.
In response to the post, Iran’s mission to the UN said: “Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests—BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!”
Mr Trump’s latest threat toward Tehran comes after he had promised intervention after the crackdown on anti-government demonstrations in the country this month. However, his latest comments appear to focus on the country’s nuclear programme.
The US launched strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last year.
In his post on social media on Wednesday, Mr Trump said: “Hopefully Iran will quickly “Come to the Table” and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties.”
He added: “The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again.”
Any US military action ‘will be considered the beginning of a war’
Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to the Iranian supreme leader, said that any military action by the US will be considered the “beginning of a war”.
In a post on X, he said: “The limited strike is an illusion. Any military action by America, from any source and at any level, will be considered the beginning of a war, and the response will be immediate, comprehensive, and unprecedented, directed at the aggressor, at the heart of Tel Aviv, and at all its supporters.”
Ali Shamkhani (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribu)
Harriette Boucher28 January 2026 18:23
Tehran has ‘finger on the trigger’ and is ready to respond
Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran has its “fingers on the trigger” and is prepared to “immediately and powerfully” respond to any aggression.
Abbas Araghchi wrote on social media to say that Iran had learnt valuable lessons from the 12-Day War in June last year, which have enabled their forces to respond more strongly and quickly.
“At the same time, Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL—on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation—which ensures Iran’s rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS. Such weapons have no place in our security calculations and we have NEVER sought to acquire them.”
Harriette Boucher28 January 2026 18:17
Iran vows to defend itself and respond ‘like never before’ if attacked.
Iran responded to Trump’s threat on Wednesday saying that it was open to discussions but would defend itself if provoked.
“Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests—BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!” its mission to the UN said in a post on X.
James Reynolds28 January 2026 18:00
FTSE 100 falls and oil price rises after Trump’s warning to Iran
The FTSE 100 fell on Wednesday and the oil price climbed amid fresh geopolitical uncertainty while the S&P 500 briefly topped 7,000 for the first time ahead of tech earnings and the US interest rate call.
The FTSE 100 index closed down 53.37 points, 0.5%, at 10,154.43. The FTSE 250 ended 13.39 points lower, 0.1%, at 23,390.63 but the AIM all-share ended up 7.27 points, 0.9%, at 832.09.
US President Donald Trump warned Iran that time was running out for the Islamic republic to prevent American military intervention as Tehran rejected holding negotiations against a backdrop of threats.
Harriette Boucher28 January 2026 17:48
‘The enemy will surely suffer’, Iran’s army chief of staff warns
Iran’s army chief of staff has said Iran is prepared to deal with any threat, and warns that “the enemy will surely suffer” if anything happens.
According to local media, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said: “The army of the Islamic Republic of Iran is always ready to deal with any threat and if something happens, the enemy will surely suffer a lot.”
Earlier today, Iran’s mission the UN said that the country was ready for dialogue.
“Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests—BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!”
Harriette Boucher28 January 2026 17:33
In pictures: The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which is leading the fleet headed to Iran
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier (L) transits the Strait of Hormuz on November 19, 2019 (AFP/Getty)
A US Navy officer walks past fighter jets sitting on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during a media tour in Port Klang, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, on November 26, 2024 (AFP/Getty)
Harriette Boucher28 January 2026 17:22
Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel
Iran today executed a man accused of spying for Israel as tensions flared up with the US.
Mizan, the Iranian judiciary’s media outlet, reported that the suspect was identified as Hamidreza Sabet Esmaeilipour.
They said he was arrested in April last year and hanged on Wednesday “for the crime of espionage and intelligence cooperation in favour of a hostile intelligence service (Mossad)”.
Executions of Iranians convicted of spying for Israel have significantly increased since last year following the direct confrontation in June, when Israeli and US forces struck Iran’s nuclear facilities.
James Reynolds28 January 2026 17:00
Iran’s days are numbered, warns Germany’s Merz
German chancellor Friedrich Merz joined in the American assessment that the Iranian regime’s “days are numbered” in comments on Wednesday as Trump ramped up his threats.
Speaking to reporters in Berlin, he said: “A regime that can only hold onto power through sheer violence and terror against its own population: its days are numbered.”
“It could be a matter of weeks, but this regime has no legitimacy to govern the country.”
He backed Italy’s push to have the EU designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organisation.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrives for the cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
James Reynolds28 January 2026 16:38
Rubio: Iran’s government is probably the weakest it has ever been
Secretary of state Marco Rubio said that Iran’s regime is probably the weakest it has ever been as the US moves warships into the region.
“That regime is probably weaker than it has ever been and the core problem they face … is that they don’t have a way to address the core complaints of the protesters, which is that their economy is in collapse,” he told the senate foreign relations committee.
Rubio spoke on Venezuela and Iran on Wednesday (Reuters)
James Reynolds28 January 2026 16:33
US to carry out military exercises in Middle East amid rising tensions
US forces will carry out multi-day exercises in the Middle East, it was announced this week, ahead of Trump’s threat to Iran.
The Ninth Air Force will be carrying out drills to “demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility”, a statement read.
The statement did not say when the exercises would start.
“This exercise reinforces peace through strength by fielding a credible, combat-ready, and responsible presence designed to deter aggression, reduce the risk of miscalculation and assure partners.”
American F-15Es prepare to take off in footage shared by CENTCOM earlier this month (CENTCOM)
James Reynolds28 January 2026 16:30