Iran says its “fingers are on the trigger” after Donald Trump declined to reveal whether the US would move against the country.
The US president previously warned he could take military action against Iran over its killing of peaceful protesters, and its threatened mass execution of those detained in the demonstrations.
Asked by reporters as he flew to Florida if he had made a final decision, the US president said: “I certainly can’t tell you that, but we do have very big, powerful ships heading in that direction, as you know. I can’t tell you, you know. But I hope they negotiate something that’s acceptable.”
Mr Trump was also asked whether Tehran would be emboldened by the US backing off.
He replied: “Well, some people think that and some people don’t. And if you could make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons they should do that. But I don’t know that they will. But they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us.”
General Amir Hatami, Iran’s regular army commander-in-chief, struck a defiant tone in response.
He said: “Thanks Allah today we are at a high level of military and defensive readiness. We are closely watching enemies’ movement in the region.
“They are under complete surveillance by us. And since we are aware of their evil intentions, our fingers are on the trigger.
“If they make a mistake, without doubt they will endanger their security, the security of their forces, the security of the region, and the security of the criminal Zionist regime.”
In Tehran’s parliament the mood was similarly combative, with the speaker telling the assembly that European Union military forces were now terrorist groups in the eyes of the Islamic republic.
It comes after the EU designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist faction over its bloody crackdown on protesters.
Others were more conciliatory. Ali Larijani, a top security official in Iran, wrote on Saturday that “structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
However, Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly ruled out direct talks with the US.
With tensions mounting, Iran faced two explosions on Saturday, though its government denies a military leader was targeted.
One blast happened at Iran’s southern port of Bandar Abbas. A four-year-old girl was killed and a further 14 people were injured.
A second blast, more than 1,000 kilometres away in Ahvaz, saw five people killed, state media reported.
