Shafaq News– Tehran/Washington

Iran warned on Tuesday that it would deliver a “resounding response” to any attack on its territory, threatening US interests and military facilities worldwide, after US President Donald Trump publicly backed anti-government protests and hinted at possible action against Tehran.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh said that any military assault on Iran would make all US bases and interests legitimate targets, adding that countries facilitating such an operation would also be held responsible.

In the 12-day war between Iran and Israel last June, the conflict expanded beyond direct Israeli Iranian exchanges when the United States carried out limited strikes on Iranian targets, prompting Tehran to retaliate by launching missiles toward the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military facility in the Middle East.

“Iran’s defensive posture was now stronger than during previous confrontations,” Nasirzadeh said, citing measures taken in recent months to bolster military readiness.

Earlier today, Trump openly voiced support for demonstrators inside Iran, urging “Iranian patriots” to continue protests and “take control of their institutions.” In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said all meetings with Iranian officials had been canceled until the killing of protesters stopped, warning that those responsible would “pay a heavy price” and that “help is on the way.”

In Israel, media outlets reported heightened military readiness amid expectations that any US action against Iran could trigger retaliation across the region. Israel’s air force and intelligence services have been placed on high alert, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, and hospitals have been instructed to shift into emergency mode, citing assessments that Iran could respond by targeting Israeli sites if the United States carries out strikes.

Against this backdrop, Axios reported that US envoy Steve Witkoff held a secret meeting over the weekend with Iran’s exiled former crown prince Reza Pahlavi to discuss the protests. A senior US official cited by the outlet said the meeting marked the first high-level contact between the Trump administration and an Iranian opposition figure since the unrest began more than two weeks ago.

Pahlavi, the son of the shah overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has appeared frequently on US television in recent weeks, calling for international intervention. According to the senior US official, the administration was surprised by reports that protesters in several Iranian cities had chanted Pahlavi’s name during demonstrations.

A poll conducted in November 2025 by Dutch pollster Ammar Maleki indicated that roughly one-third of Iranians supported Pahlavi, while a similar proportion strongly opposed him, giving him higher name recognition than any other opposition figure.