Iran warns of retaliation against US bases as Donald Trump weighs military options

Military warnings from Tehran

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Command of the Iranian Armed Forces announced on 20 September 2026 that it gathered intelligence pointing to impending US-led military operations. According to Iranian military statements broadcast on state media, American officials and regional allies finalized plans to resume military actions during a joint meeting in a European country. Iranian military officials claimed that Washington is attempting to compensate for operational setbacks tied to Israeli actions. Tehran warned that any offensive action against the Islamic Republic will trigger continuous, effective, and painful strikes against American regional bases and interests without restriction or reservation. The command specifically addressed neighbouring Middle Eastern states, warning that continuing a dual policy and siding with Washington will make them direct accomplices. The military statement added that regional governments backing foreign strikes will forfeit any expectation of Iranian military restraint.

Trump evaluates military and diplomatic options

In an interview broadcast on Fox News on 20 September 2026, US President Donald Trump confirmed that the White House is in an active decision-making process regarding its policy toward Iran. Trump noted that his current considerations range from direct military strikes to letting the Iranian economy rot under isolation, or alternatively negotiating a bilateral agreement. Reporting on the discussion, Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst stated that US officials remain in direct contact with Houthi rebels in Yemen, who agreed not to attack American assets following previous missile and drone operations against Saudi Arabia. Trump added that significant developments will occur in the near future while leaving room for diplomatic overtures ahead of the United Nations General Assembly opening in New York on 21 September 2026, noting he would probably be open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

“My question is whether and when I blow the entire country up. They better behave.”

Regional diplomacy and waterway threats

Parallel to the military escalation, Iranian officials described ongoing diplomatic channels and strategic maritime measures. Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, confirmed on 19 September 2026 that Tehran submitted terms for ending regional hostilities to the US administration via Qatari mediators. Rezaee stated that Tehran seeks an end to the war between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, while affirming that Iran maintains its nuclear posture in compliance with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's religious fatwa forbidding nuclear weapons development. Concurrently, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared that the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until the United States fulfills Tehran's specified conditions. These developments follow an urgent travel and security advisory issued by the US State Department on 19 September 2026 alerting American citizens to potential security risks across the region.