Iran prepared for war if the US seeks to ‘test’ it, says foreign minister

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that Tehran is prepared for war if the United States chooses to “test” it, following threats by US President Donald Trump to take military action over Iran’s crackdown on antigovernment protests.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Arabic on Monday, Araghchi said communication channels with Washington remain open despite the unrest, but stressed that Iran is “ready for all options”. He claimed the country now possesses “large and extensive military preparedness,” surpassing its capabilities during last year’s 12-day war.

His remarks came a day after Trump said he was considering “strong options” against Iran in response to its handling of nationwide protests, which were initially triggered by economic grievances but have since evolved into broader demands for political change. Trump said possible responses included military action.

The US president, who recently ordered the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a US Special Forces operation, also said a meeting was being arranged with Tehran to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme. “But we may have to act because of what is happening before the meeting,” Trump said.

“If Washington wants to test the military option it has tested before, we are ready for it,” Araghchi said, adding that he hoped the US would instead opt for dialogue. He warned that some actors were attempting to draw Washington into a conflict to serve Israel’s interests.

Addressing the growing death toll, Araghchi repeated official claims that “terrorist elements” had infiltrated protest crowds and attacked both security forces and civilians. Iranian authorities have accused the US and Israel of instigating unrest over the past two weeks.

State media reports that more than 100 members of the security forces have been killed in recent days, while opposition groups say the toll is significantly higher and includes hundreds of protesters. Al Jazeera said it has been unable to independently verify the figures.

Information from Iran has been severely restricted by an internet blackout imposed since Thursday. Araghchi said on Monday that services would be restored in coordination with security agencies. Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that Iran had been offline for 96 hours as of 16:29 GMT on Monday.

Araghchi said his contacts with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had continued both before and after the protests and remained ongoing, with proposals discussed in Washington now under review in Tehran. However, he said US proposals were accompanied by threats that were “incompatible” with negotiations.

“We are ready to return to the nuclear negotiating table, provided it is without threats or dictates,” Araghchi said, questioning whether Washington was prepared for “fair and just” talks.

Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned on Sunday that US and Israeli forces would be “legitimate targets” if Washington intervened in the unrest, cautioning against what he described as a potential “miscalculation”.

Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Iran’s private messages to Washington differed markedly from its public rhetoric. The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House was weighing Tehran’s offer for further military talks even as Trump considered possible strikes.

The United States last year bombed Iranian nuclear facilities when it joined Israel’s 12-day war with Iran.