Tehran: The warning was issued by Iran’s Foreign Minister just hours after US President entity reiterated the possibility of military action against Iran. In recent days, the United States has deployed several military assets to the region, including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier entity, now operating in the Arabian Sea.

The heightened military posture comes as the European Union has imposed new sanctions on Iran, including travel bans and asset freezes targeting Iranian officials accused of involvement in the killing of thousands of anti-government protesters since late December last year.

Despite the sharp rhetoric, signs of diplomatic engagement are also emerging. Araghchi is expected to travel to Turkiye on Friday for talks with Turkish officials, raising the possibility of mediation between Washington and Tehran. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed the planned visit.

At the same time, Turkiye has stepped up its own diplomatic efforts. Turkish Foreign Minister held talks in Ankara with the US ambassador to Turkiye and special envoy for Syria, though no details of the discussions were disclosed.

Even as diplomatic channels remain open, Iran has signalled military readiness. Iranian army officials announced they had received a batch of 1,000 newly developed strategic drones, produced by the army in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence following last year’s 12-day war. The move underscores what analysts describe as Tehran’s dual-track approach: preparedness for conflict alongside conditional openness to dialogue, insisting on talks “with dignity” and without the threat of force.

Meanwhile, Washington and Tehran continue to trade increasingly hostile statements. Trump warned this week that “time is running out” for Iran to return to negotiations on a new nuclear deal, comparing the scale of the current US naval deployment to forces previously sent off Venezuela before a US military operation in Caracas.

According to the Iran project director at the, a US-Iran war would risk spilling over across the Middle East. Although US allies such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have said they would not allow their territory or airspace to be used in an attack on Iran, US forces stationed at regional bases remain involved in intelligence gathering and air defence.

He warned that in the event of escalation, Iran could target nearby US facilities using its short-range missiles and naval capabilities, threatening Gulf interests. Alternatively, he said, a conflict that toppled Iran’s government could leave a failed state of 92 million people, fuelling instability, radicalisation and refugee flows across the region, a scenario that would pose serious risks for Iran’s neighbours as well.