Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has warned the United States and Israel against launching further military attacks on Iran, saying the country will decide when and under what conditions any renewed conflict will end.
The warning was issued in a written statement published on Khamenei’s website on Saturday, November 1, following renewed threats of military action against the Islamic Republic. In the statement, Khamenei said Iran’s armed forces and people would determine the timing and conditions for ending any new confrontation.
“If the enemies once again launch military or terrorist attacks, it is the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation that will determine the time and conditions for ending them,” the statement said.
The remarks were delivered during a reported meeting with senior Iranian military commanders, including Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ali Abdollahi, Army Chief Amir Hatami and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ahmad Vahidi.
The meeting is significant because it was the first reported gathering between Khamenei and the country’s senior military leadership since he became supreme leader. He has not appeared publicly since succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes at the beginning of the Middle East war in February.
In his statement, the supreme leader instructed military commanders to remain prepared to respond immediately to any new military threat against Iran. He called for a forceful response, regardless of the scale or nature of an attack.
“Any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response,” the statement said.
Khamenei also directed the military leadership to revise Iran’s list of potential targets, expanding it to include “all types of tangible and intangible assets belonging to the American-Zionist enemy”. The wording signals Tehran’s intention to maintain a broad range of potential targets should hostilities resume.
The current conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran. Tehran responded with attacks on targets in several countries across the region, widening the confrontation and increasing concerns about further regional instability.
Khamenei’s latest warning comes as diplomatic efforts continue to prevent another round of fighting. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Friday, October 30, for discussions with Iranian officials, amid efforts to keep communication channels open between the parties involved.
The diplomatic visit followed reports that Iran had received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance. Iranian media said Tehran had not yet issued a response.
The combination of renewed military warnings and ongoing diplomatic contacts highlights the uncertainty surrounding efforts to prevent a return to direct confrontation. While Tehran has made clear that it is preparing for the possibility of further attacks, discussions involving regional intermediaries are continuing as diplomatic efforts seek to avoid another escalation.
