Iran Ready To Defend Territory From US After Trump Ultimatum: President

Iran is ready to defend itself against any attack, its President Masoud Pezeshkian has said, in an apparent response to U.S. President Donald Trump's ultimatum over a new nuclear deal.

"President Trump has been clear: The United States will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. He has expressed his willingness to pursue an agreement with Iran," a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Newsweek.

Newsweek contacted Iran's Foreign Ministry for comment.

Why It Matters

Tensions between the United States and Iran are intensifying amid stalled negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program and a warning from Trump that military action remains on the table if a deal isn't reached by his deadline.

The ongoing deadlock raises the risk of direct conflict between the U.S. and Iran in an already unstable Middle East, where an American aircraft carrier strike group is leading a U.S. military operation against the Houthi militants in Yemen.

What To Know

"We do not seek war with any country, but we have no hesitation in defending ourselves, and our readiness and capability in this regard are at the highest level," Pezeshkian told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a Trump ally, in a call, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported Friday.

The U.S. will launch military strikes on Tehran if its leaders do not engage in talks with Washington on limiting its nuclear program, Trump said on Sunday. "It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before," he said."

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told Newsweek by email: "If the Iranian regime does not want a deal. The President is clear he will pursue alternatives that will be very bad for Iran."

On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Iran would respond "swiftly and decisively to any aggression against its sovereignty and national interests."

The U.S. has reinforced its presence at the joint British-American air force and naval base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The buildup of U.S. forces in the Middle East and ongoing airstrikes against the Iran-backed Houthis are military and political signals meant for Tehran.

In spite of Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign hoping to check Iran's nuclear ambitions, Tehran has rejected outright any direct talks with Washington, maintaining that its nuclear program is for peaceful, civilian purposes.

Iran has bolstered its own military capabilities and demonstrated high-level political backing through joint naval exercises with Russia and China in the Persian Gulf. It has showcased hard power by unveiling "missile cities" and conducting missile tests.

Russia, meanwhile, has warned that any external threats to bomb Iran's nuclear energy infrastructure would lead to significant consequences in the region, underlining the importance of diplomatic solutions.

What People Are Saying

Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's president, in an IRNA readout: "The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to engage and negotiate to resolve some tensions, based on mutual interests and respect. We do not seek war with any country, but we have no hesitation in defending ourselves, and our readiness and capability in this regard are at the highest level."

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft: "Neither side wants war and both sides appear to treat this as a prelude to negotiations. However, unless realistic bargaining positions are adopted by both sides and a discarding of maximalist approaches, this escalatory rhetoric may trap them both in a war that neither side wants."

What Happens Next

Uncertainty looms over whether tensions between the U.S. and Iran will further grow. A full-blown military confrontation would not only destabilize the Middle East, but also directly impact U.S. foreign policy under Trump's second presidency.

Update, 4/4/25, 10:22 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a comment from the U.S. State Department.