Will regret setting foot on our soil: Iran official warns US against ground op

Iran has issued a blunt warning to the United States amid escalating tensions in the Gulf, saying any attempt at military aggression against Tehran would trigger severe consequences, while accusing Washington of trying to force “total surrender” through stalled nuclear negotiations.

In an exclusive interview with India Today Global’s Senior Executive Editor Geeta Mohan in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran was fully prepared for any escalation, including a possible ground invasion.

“Anyone who dares to put their foot on Iranian soil will be badly regretted,” Baghaei said.

The warning comes as tensions continue to rise across the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes, fuelling fears of a wider regional conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel.

IRAN ACCUSES US OF SABOTAGING TALKS

Baghaei accused Washington of repeatedly derailing diplomatic efforts and said Tehran no longer trusted the United States after what he described as repeated betrayals during active negotiations.

“The US destroyed the negotiating table twice in less than nine months,” he said. “If one side demands 100% satisfaction, that is not negotiation, that is imposition of will.”

Iran recently rejected Donald Trump’s latest nuclear proposal, with Baghaei claiming the US approach was aimed at forcing capitulation rather than reaching a workable agreement.

According to him, Tehran’s counterproposal prioritised ending hostilities in the region, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and removing what he called the US maritime blockade before fresh nuclear negotiations could resume.

“Before February 28, the Strait of Hormuz was open and free to every country,” he said. “Iran was forced to take measures permitted under international law.”

STRAIT OF HORMUZ AT CENTRE OF CRISIS

Baghaei blamed both the US and Israel for the worsening crisis in the Gulf and alleged that attacks against Iran had been launched using the territory of Persian Gulf states.

“We had to prevent this waterway from being used as a corridor for military aggression against us,” he said.

The developments are being watched closely in India, which remains heavily dependent on Gulf energy imports and shipping routes passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Baghaei admitted the crisis had affected countries, including India, but insisted Iran did not want long-term instability in the region.

“We are not happy about what India and other countries are experiencing,” he said. “Iran is a coastal state; we depend on this strait more than anyone. We want it safe.”

IRAN TARGETS ISRAEL OVER NUCLEAR ISSUE

During the interview, Baghaei also attacked Israel’s nuclear posture, describing it as a “black comedy” that Israel was demanding Iran dismantle what Tehran describes as a peaceful nuclear programme.

He argued that Israel, which is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons while remaining outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, was the main obstacle to regional nuclear disarmament.

“The only obstacle to a nuclear-free Middle East is the Israeli regime,” he said.

‘IRAN HAS MANY SURPRISES’

Rejecting Trump’s claims that Iran’s military capabilities had been weakened, Baghaei warned that Tehran still possessed significant military strength.

“They have created this catastrophic quagmire precisely because of their miscalculations about Iran,” he said. “Iran has many surprises and many capabilities that will be used whenever needed.”

Baghaei also claimed that contrary to Western assertions, the United States was becoming increasingly isolated internationally over the conflict.

“With global public opinion, BRICS partners and even members of the US Congress questioning this war, America is the one standing alone,” he said.

IRAN FM TO VISIT INDIA FOR BRICS MEETING

Baghaei confirmed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to attend the upcoming BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting in India, where Tehran plans to discuss the worsening regional situation with Indian officials.

The visit comes at a sensitive moment for India as it closely tracks rising instability in the Gulf, disruptions to maritime trade routes and the possibility of a broader confrontation involving Iran and Israel.

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