Iran Threatens Retaliation Over U.S.–Israel Moves and Potential UN Sanctions

Iran has warned it will retaliate on two separate fronts as regional and diplomatic tensions escalate. Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said on 18 June that Tehran would “respond” if the United States joins Israel in any military action against Iran. The statement was reiterated by senior officials on 21 June, underscoring the government’s resolve to counter what it views as coordinated aggression. The dispute has since broadened to include the prospect of renewed United Nations sanctions. On 14 July, foreign-ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei declared that the so-called snapback mechanism for re-imposing multilateral sanctions “has no legal foundation” and that European governments “are not in a position” to trigger it. Baqaei said Tehran would react to any attempt to restore the measures and noted that no date or venue has been set for new U.S.–Iran nuclear talks.