- Official says Iran is on alert after US military buildup in ME.
- Even a limited or “surgical” strike to start a full-scale war: Iran.
- He says the Iranian military is prepared for the worst-case scenario.
Iran will treat any attack “as a total war against us,” a senior Iranian official said Friday, ahead of the arrival of a U.S. military carrier strike group and other assets in the Middle East in the coming days.
“This military buildup – we hope it is not intended for a real confrontation – but our army is prepared for the worst-case scenario. That is why everything is on alert in Iran,” said the senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“This time, we will treat any attack – limited, unlimited, surgical, kinetic, whatever they call it – as an all-out war against us, and we will respond in the toughest way possible to address this,” the official said.
US President Donald Trump said Thursday the United States had an “armada” heading toward Iran but hoped he would not have to use it, while repeating his warnings to Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear program.
“If the Americans violate Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we will respond,” the Iranian official said. He declined to specify what an Iranian response might look like.
“A country under constant military threat from the United States has no choice but to ensure that everything it has can be used to push back and, if possible, restore balance against anyone who dares attack Iran,” the official said.
In the past, the U.S. military has periodically sent increased forces to the Middle East during times of heightened tensions, measures that were often defensive. However, last year the US military carried out a significant ramp-up of its operations in anticipation of its June strikes against Iran’s nuclear program.
