Khaberni - A senior Iranian official threatened on Friday to treat any attack as "total war against it", ahead of a strike group of U.S. aircraft carriers and military equipment arriving in the Middle East in the coming days.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated, "We hope this military buildup is not aimed at a real confrontation, but our army is prepared for the worst scenarios. This is why everything is on high alert in Iran." He continued, "This time we will treat any attack, whether it is limited or total, a precision strike or a direct military target, whatever name they give it, as a total war against us, and we will respond in the strongest way possible to resolve this matter."
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States has a "fleet" heading towards Iran but hopes he will not need to use it, as he reiterated his warning to Tehran against killing protesters or resuming its nuclear program.
The Iranian official stated, "If the Americans violate Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we will respond." He refrained from specifying the nature of the Iranian response. He added, "No country facing a continuous military threat from the United States has any choice but to ensure the use of all available resources to respond, and if possible, to restore balance against any party daring to attack Iran."
The U.S. military has traditionally sent additional forces to the Middle East during times of escalating tension, and these moves have often been defensive in nature. However, the U.S. military increased its troop mobilization last year before carrying out strikes in June against the Iranian nuclear program.
