Iran Military Warns of Potential US Strikes as Tensions Rise Ahead of UN Assembly

Iran's central military command has announced it received intelligence indicating that the United States is preparing to resume military strikes against the country. The warning was issued on Sunday by the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, overseeing Iran's armed forces, and signals a potential return to active conflict following months of diminished direct engagements.

Tehran stated that any renewed United States assault would trigger retaliation directed at American bases and interests throughout the Middle East. Furthermore, regional nations were cautioned against assisting Washington, with the military command noting that states permitting their territory or facilities to support United States attacks would be deemed "complicit" and could face Iranian countermeasures.

US President Donald Trump stated in a Fox News interview on Sunday that he remains in a "deciding mode" regarding Iran, noting that his potential options encompass further military action, economic pressure, or a formal deal. He also indicated openness to meeting Iranian President Masoxd Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.

State media confirmed that Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi departed Tehran on Sunday evening for the United Nations General Assembly, making a brief stopover in Qatar en route.

Addressing lawmakers on Sunday, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf argued that Tehran ought to leverage military force to push back adversaries prior to engaging in diplomacy to secure objectives. Tehran has communicated to Qatari and Pakistani mediators that prerequisites for resuming talks include an end to the war and United States attacks, the unfreezing of Iranian funds, and the lifting of the United States naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Ghalibaf added that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Washington fulfills these stated commitments from a prior agreement. Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera correspondent Tohid Asadi indicated that Iranian officials are employing a deliberate two-track strategy, demonstrating openness to diplomacy while simultaneously preparing for potential renewed combat.

Qatar, acting as a mediator in the Gulf, reported that its officials are actively traveling between capitals to exchange proposals designed to restart negotiations. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari stated that Doha has received assurances from United States officials regarding Washington's desire for an agreement.

The ongoing confrontation is already impacting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital narrow waterway connecting the Gulf to the Arabian Sea for global energy shipments. Recent shipping data revealed that only 12 commodity vessels traversed the strait over the weekend, down from 35 during the previous weekend.

The conflict originated in late February following joint United States-Israeli strikes on Iran. Although a 60-day memorandum in June temporarily curtailed full-scale hostilities, that agreement expired last month, and attacks around Hormuz have since escalated.

Mark Pfeifle, a Republican strategist and former White House national security official, remarked to Al Jazeera that both nations are trapped in a "frozen conflict" as they attempt to maximize leverage ahead of potential diplomatic discussions surrounding the United Nations gathering.