Iran’s new warning to the US and Israel

If you’ve been keeping half an eye on oil prices, flight schedules or the news from Iran, this week’s warnings are worth your attention. Living in Kuwait means you’re close enough to this conflict that any change in it can touch your fuel bill, your travel plans, or just your sense of calm.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has told the US and Israel that any new attack on Iran will be met with an immediate military response. The warning lands at a tense moment, with the Iran war still not over eight months after it started, and with the US midterm elections just days away.

How did we get here?

The conflict began back in February, when US and Israeli strikes on Iran killed the country’s then Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Eight months on, there’s still no ceasefire deal and no clear winner on the battlefield.

Trump has sent mixed signals the whole way through, sometimes threatening more strikes, other times leaving the door open for talks. Our earlier coverage tracked this back and forth closely, including when Trump signalled more US strikes were possible and when the US military chief gave Trump new strike options to consider.

Iran, for its part, says it has rebuilt and strengthened its military since February and can now hit a wider range of targets with more force than before.

Will the US strike Iran again?

Nobody outside the Trump administration knows for sure, and it seems the administration itself hasn’t decided either. Speaking at a G20 press conference in Atlanta on Saturday, Rubio said plainly: “He hasn’t made a decision. I have no announcement in that regard with you today, and nor do we take any of it lightly.”

Rubio added that the US could still achieve its military goals if it chose to act. Earlier this month, Trump said the US would not strike Iran before the midterm elections, scheduled for Tuesday, but he didn’t rule out action afterwards. That timing has kept everyone guessing, including Gulf governments. As we reported on 28 October, the US told Gulf states to brace for possible Iran strikes.

What exactly did Iran say?

At a meeting with senior military commanders on Saturday, Khamenei told them: “Any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response.” He also said Iran’s target list should include “all types of tangible and intangible assets belonging to the American-Zionist enemy.”

Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia went further, warning on social media platform X that another US attack would push the war beyond its current borders: “The flames of war will undoubtedly engulf a much wider geographical area.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, also warned that Iran’s armed forces would deliver an “Earth-shattering blow” to anyone who threatens the country. Strong words, and a clear message that Tehran isn’t backing down.

Are talks happening at all?

Not directly, at least not yet. Araghchi told Iranian state news agency IRNA: “Currently, there are no plans for meetings with American officials.”

But there’s movement behind the scenes. Araghchi confirmed Iran received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance, sent on Trump’s instructions to Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei, aimed at reviving negotiations and avoiding more strikes. Trump said the letter was about an Iranian request for medical supplies. Iran confirmed it got the letter but hasn’t said how it will respond.

Qatar and Pakistan are still mediating. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Friday for talks with senior Iranian officials, though no breakthrough has been announced. This follows months of on-off signals, including the period when Trump said no Iran talks were happening and later when he suggested a deal was still possible even as strike threats continued.

What are regional leaders saying?

Gulf and regional governments are pushing hard for calm. Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Waleed ElKhereiji, said at a security forum in Bahrain: “The message is very clear. People in this part of the world want to bring peace back to the region.”

Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, warned that another round of fighting would be “more dangerous, more destructive” than what’s come before. That view is shared widely across the Gulf, where allies have already been told to prepare for possible strikes.

Hasan Alhasan, a senior fellow for Middle East policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told CNN that the repeated US signals about possible escalation are themselves adding to regional uncertainty, even without a new strike taking place.

What does this mean for people in Kuwait?

Kuwait sits close to the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil. Iran has restricted shipping through the strait, and the US has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports. Any new fighting could disrupt that route further, which tends to push petrol and shipping costs up worldwide, and Kuwait isn’t immune to that.

For residents and citizens alike, the practical advice hasn’t changed much since the war started in February: keep an eye on official guidance, don’t panic over every headline, and expect that fuel and import prices could move if the situation worsens. If you follow our international news coverage, you’ll have seen this pattern of threats and pauses play out for months now.

It’s also worth remembering this conflict has already touched Kuwait directly. We reported in October on the deaths of US troops, including an Iowa soldier among six US troops killed at Shuaiba port, a reminder that this isn’t just a distant story for people here.

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