TEHRAN – The constant glare of Western rhetoric does not leave Iran alone. For decades, the country has faced repeated threats of military strikes, claims about its nuclear ambitions, and warnings designed to keep the nation under pressure—both domestically and internationally.

Just on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, repeated claims about Iran “rebuilding” its nuclear or missile programs and insisted the U.S. would intervene if such developments occurred.

From Tehran’s perspective, these remarks are hostile rhetoric rather than reasoned warnings. Officials view them as part of a deliberate campaign to create fear, shape public opinion, and justify policies of coercion, rather than a credible assessment of Iran’s peaceful defense programs. Trump’s comments, including claims that the U.S. had been “extremely victorious” and that any nuclear program would be “eradicated,” are seen as exaggerations aimed at undermining Iran’s international standing.

Iranian leaders quickly responded, warning that renewed aggression will be met with consequences far beyond the calculations of its architects. 

President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted on social media: “The response of the Islamic Republic of Iran to any oppressive actions will be severe and regret-inducing.” 

Tehran stresses that its defensive capabilities, including its missile program, are sovereign and strictly deterrent, designed to protect the nation and its people in a volatile region.

Senior security figures reinforced the message with explicit warnings. Ali Shamkhani, adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution on national security, bluntly declared Iran’s missile and defensive capabilities “not containable or permission-based,” and warned that any “miscalculation” by aggressors would trigger an immediate and disproportionate reply. 

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf echoed this stance in a public session on Tuesday, stating that Iran does not seek “permission” from any power to defend itself. He warned that Iran’s responses to adventurism and wrongdoing would be “extensive,” “uncompromising,” and “potentially unexpected,” adding that future actions would not necessarily resemble those of the past.

Tehran points to the June conflict as proof that escalation does not guarantee victory for Israel or its backers. In mid-June, an Israeli offensive and subsequent US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites produced a twelve-day confrontation that demonstrated both the cost of military escalation and the effectiveness of Iranian deterrence. Iranian analysts argue that despite claims of “victory” by US and Israeli officials, the June war demonstrated the opposite: that military escalation carries costs Washington and Tel Aviv cannot easily manage. Secretary?General of the World Assembly of Islamic Awakening Ali Akbar Velayati said the enemy committed an “egregious error” in assessing Iran’s military power, noting that precision missile strikes exposed vulnerabilities and compelled the adversary to seek an end to hostilities.

Tehran also rejects Western demands to limit missile ranges or dismantle nuclear infrastructure, calling such demands violations of the Non?Proliferation Treaty and attempts to strip Iran of its sovereign right to self?defense. Instead, Iranian officials have urged Washington to abandon its policy of maximum pressure and end its support for Israeli actions in the region.

Calls from other states, including Russia, for restraint and dialogue further reinforce Iran’s position. The Kremlin on Tuesday said it was ?necessary to develop a dialogue with Iran and urged all parties to refrain from escalation after Trump ?said ?Washington ?would ?support another massive strike on Iran. 

Iranian officials have been stressing that while Tehran does not seek war, it will not hesitate to respond decisively to any threat against its national security. In a statement published on Monday, The Armed Forces General Staff assured the Iranian people that the country’s devoted military personnel, fully prepared and resolute, will not allow any harm to befall the nation or its citizens’ security.

The General Staff emphasized that should the enemies make another misstep—at any place or time—they will face consequences far stronger, more decisive, and more damaging than those of the previous period.

From Tehran’s vantage point, Trump and Netanyahu’s rhetoric is less about deterrence and more about sustaining tension—keeping the possibility of war alive to pressure Iran politically and psychologically. Iranian leaders insist, however, that the experience of June has already demonstrated a fundamental reality: intimidation has limits, and Iran’s capacity to defend itself is no longer theoretical but proven in practice.