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January 22, 2026 : Iran has issued its most explicit warning yet to the United States amid an escalating internal crackdown on protests and heightened military tensions across the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would respond forcefully to any renewed attack, signaling a sharp turn in rhetoric as unrest continues inside the country.
In remarks published in an opinion article in a leading US newspaper, Araghchi said Iran’s armed forces would respond with full capacity if the country were targeted again. He framed the statement as a reflection of reality rather than a threat, stressing that prolonged conflict would have devastating consequences well beyond the region.
The warning comes at a time when US military assets, including fighter jets and a naval carrier group, are repositioning in the Middle East. The movements follow a period of heightened global tension after US military activity in the Caribbean earlier this month, which resulted in the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Araghchi’s comments also followed the cancellation of his invitation to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, reportedly over concerns linked to the ongoing violence in Iran. Tehran has blamed armed demonstrators for the unrest, claiming the most violent phase of protests lasted less than three days.
However, videos that have emerged despite an internet shutdown appear to show Iranian security forces firing live ammunition at unarmed protesters, a claim not addressed in the foreign minister’s statement. International rights groups say the death toll from the protests has reached at least 4,519 people, marking the deadliest period of unrest in Iran in decades.
In his article, Araghchi referred to the brief war launched by Israel against Iran in June, warning that any future confrontation would be far more destructive and prolonged than suggested by those advocating swift military action. He cautioned that such a conflict would engulf the wider region and severely impact civilians worldwide.
Analysts say the remarks likely point to Iran’s short- and medium-range missile capabilities, underscoring the risks of further escalation. The scale of the current protests and the resulting crackdown have drawn comparisons to the upheaval surrounding Iran’s 1979 revolution, which led to the formation of the Islamic Republic.
As tensions rise both domestically and internationally, diplomatic channels appear strained, raising concerns that miscalculation on any side could push the region toward a broader and more volatile confrontation.
