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Iran warned it would respond to any new US military attack “with everything we have”, and accused Washington and its allies of exploiting the recent unrest to push the region towards a wider war.
in the wall street journal op-edForeign Minister Abbas Araghchi said protests in Iran began peacefully before being hijacked by “foreign and domestic terrorist actors”, leading to violent crackdowns and an almost complete shutdown of the internet and communications.
He blamed US rhetoric for escalating the bloodshed, arguing that President Donald Trump’s warnings created incentives for large-scale violence.
Stressing that Iran prioritizes diplomacy, Araghchi warned that future attacks would provoke a much more forceful response and risk igniting prolonged regional conflict.
Khamenei calls Trump a ‘criminal’, holds him responsible for deadly protests in Iran
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi awaits the arrival of his Qatari counterpart ahead of their meeting in Tehran on August 26, 2024. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)
He said, “As Iranians mourn their loved ones and rebuild what has been destroyed, another threat looms: the ultimate failure of diplomacy. In contrast to the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces have no hesitation in retaliating with everything we have if we are attacked again.”
“Iran’s message to President Trump is clear: The United States has tried every possible hostile action against Iran, from sanctions and cyberattacks to outright military attack – and, most recently, it apparently instigated a major terrorist operation – all of which failed. It is time to think differently. Try respect, which will also allow us to move forward with confidence.”
Trump is considering military action against Tehran, with US assets moving to the region amid international scrutiny over the killing of thousands of anti-government protesters.
Keane warns Iran’s leadership to hold Trump ‘at his word’ as military assets increase in region
An Iranian man looks at a bus burned during recent anti-government unrest, displayed at a intersection in downtown Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (Morteza Nicoubzal/Nurfoto via Getty Images)
The US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA), which tracks human rights violations in Iran, said on Tuesday that nationwide protests continued for the 24th day.
Data collected by the group revealed 629 recorded protests, arrests of at least 26,314 people and confirmed deaths of 4,519 individuals.
HRANA said 4,251 of those killed were protesters, including 33 children under the age of 18.
The UN Human Rights Council announced it will hold a special session on Friday to address the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran.
Iranian clerics stand inside an Islamic seminary that was burned during protests in Tehran, Iran, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Majid Asgharipour/West Asia via news agency Reuters)
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Iranian journalist Elahe Mohammadi said on
He wrote, “The city smells of death. In my entire life I have never seen snow falling in Tehran and not a single person smiling.” “Tough days have passed and everyone is shocked; the entire nation is in mourning, the entire nation is holding back tears, the entire nation is in shock.”
