Iran’s Khamenei Orders ‘Unrestricted’ Response as Rubio Says Trump Hasn’t Decided on Strikes
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered his armed forces Saturday to answer any new U.S. or Israeli attack with an immediate response “without geographical limitations,” as President Trump weighs strikes after Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Khamenei gave the directive to Iran’s top three military commanders, according to a statement from his office. It is the first publicly disclosed meeting between Khamenei and all of them since the war began.
“If the enemies once again launch military or terrorist attacks, it will be the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Forces and the Iranian nation that determine when and under what conditions those hostilities will end,” Khamenei said.
The meeting included armed forces chief of staff Gen. Ali Abdollahi, army commander Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, according to the statement.
The commanders briefed him on readiness along the Gulf coast, around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, and on Iran’s northwestern and southeastern borders. They also reported “a several-fold increase” in ammunition and weapons production.
Khamenei told them to update Iran’s “target bank” so that “all types of the American-Zionist enemy’s material and non-material assets fall within the reach of the Armed Forces.”
Khamenei, who replaced his slain father in March, has not been seen or heard in public since. He was wounded in an Israeli strike on the war’s first day, raising questions about his condition.
Rubio Keeps Options Open
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that Trump “hasn’t made a decision” on further military action. “I have no announcement in that regard with you today, and nor do we take any of it lightly,” Rubio said.
Rubio, hosting G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta, said Trump would “prefer to solve it diplomatically,” but added the president has “incredible confidence that if we needed to do something militarily, we would have the ability to do it.”
He declined to set a timeline for talks or describe their progress. “There are multiple talks. Talks have actually never stopped,” Rubio said, while also accusing Tehran of “actively and openly” targeting commercial vessels.
Qatari mediators held more than 12 hours of talks with Iranian envoys in Tehran on Friday, with discussions continuing in Doha on Saturday in coordination with Washington, according to a source briefed on the negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a proposal would fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz in two days, the AP reported. Tehran still demands sanctions relief and a smaller U.S. regional military presence.
Tehran has repeatedly said Iran would retaliate against any new attack by hitting U.S. and Israeli targets in neighboring countries, and regional governments have been bracing for Trump to resume strikes once Tuesday’s voting is over.
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