Iran's Supreme Leader orders response 'without geographical limits' to any new attack; army chief says target list widened
Iranian state media said on Saturday that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei met the heads of the army, the Revolutionary Guards and the armed forces and ordered an immediate response to any threat without geographical limits. Armed forces chief Ali Abdollahi said a new list of US and Israeli targets covered a wider area, as Qatari-mediated contacts with Washington continued.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei met the chiefs of the army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the armed forces on Saturday 31 October and ordered retaliation against any new attack without geographical limits, Iranian state media said, according to Iran International and Al Jazeera.
Following the meeting, armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi said the military had prepared a new list of US and Israeli targets and assets across a wider area than before. “We will respond to the enemy with great force and intensity, without geographical limits,” he said, warning of an “unimaginable response” to any renewed US or Israeli attack.
Iran’s navy also said on Saturday that a tanker caught fire after striking naval mines in what it called a prohibited area east of the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported, according to Reuters. The claim could not be independently verified, and the vessel was not named.
On diplomacy, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Tehran had studied a letter from US Vice President JD Vance and called Washington’s attempt to open dialogue a “positive step”. He said an aide was in Qatar to continue talks with mediators. Security chief Mohsen Rezaei said the letter’s tone had “changed completely” but that Tehran had not yet replied.
Background: Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded his father, Ali Khamenei, as Supreme Leader during the war between Iran and the US and Israel, which began on 28 February. Qatar and Pakistan have been mediating between Tehran and Washington (our earlier report).
US angle: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday the US remained open to a diplomatic solution and that President Donald Trump had not decided on further military action, Reuters reported, according to Iran International.
Sources
- Tehran threatens wider strikes if attacked as talks continue in Doha · Iran International
- Iran war live: Araghchi says US attempt to open dialogue 'positive step' · Al Jazeera
- Iranian navy says tanker caught fire after striking mines near Strait of Hormuz · Al Arabiya (Reuters)
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