Will Trump strike Iran again? Tehran warns Strait of Hormuz will never be the same

US Iran Tensions: Hours after US President Donald Trump raised the possibility of new strikes against Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that further military action by the United States and Israel would not change Tehran’s policies. He said that the war had changed the regional security situation and that the Strait of Hormuz would not return to its pre-war status.

Speaking at a televised event in Tehran on Sunday (October 25), he said Iran would stick to its policies regardless of whether fighting resumed. According to the Associated Press (AP), he said that Iran’s policies would continue unchanged, whether war broke out or not.

Trump said on Saturday (October 24) that Washington could launch another attack or reach a diplomatic agreement with Tehran. The statement followed tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

‘US won’t try again if there’s any rationality’

Araghchi argued that Washington and Tel Aviv would gain little from another military offensive after having already attacked Iran twice.

“If there is any rationality, they will not try military action against Iran again,” he said. 

He described the military confrontation, which Iran calls the “Ramadan War”, as a turning point for regional security and said the region had entered a new phase.

“Nothing will be like it was in the past,” he said.

He also called for any settlement to cover every front where hostilities had taken place. “The end of this war must be across all fronts,” he said.

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also accused Washington of miscalculating its military campaign. He said the United States could not force Iran to submit through threats or pressure in the media.

“The Americans entered a quagmire due to their own miscalculations, and it is up to them to take the necessary steps to extricate themselves,” he said.

He described Iran as a country determined to defend itself and rejected the idea that a foreign power could dictate terms to Tehran.

‘Strait of Hormuz will never be the same again’

Araghchi said that the war had changed the security situation around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for world energy supplies.

“The Strait of Hormuz will not be the same as before the 40-day war,” he said.

Iran has claimed control over the waterway since the military confrontation began and has targeted vessels attempting to pass without its authorisation. The actions have faced opposition from Washington and countries in the region. The United States has responded by maintaining a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.

Araghchi also claimed that Iranian forces had destroyed more than 80 American aircraft and fighter jets during the war between the two countries. He alleged that nearly all of them had been hit by missiles while on the ground.

“In this war, we destroyed more than 80 American aircraft and fighter jets, nearly all of which were hit by missiles on the ground,” he said.

Iran’s ISNA news agency also quoted him as claiming that Iranian attacks had destroyed nearly all American bases in the region and hundreds of buildings at those facilities. He called for foreign forces to leave the region.

Trump keeps strikes and a deal on the table

The US president raised the possibility of another attack on Iran on Saturday while also suggesting that an agreement could be reached.

“Maybe tomorrow… There’s a possibility I will. There’s also a possibility we’ll have a nice, big, beautiful agreement,” he said.

He claimed that Tehran wanted a deal but questioned whether Iran would honour its terms. He defended US military operations in West Asia and praised the performance of American forces.

“We have done an amazing job. Our Navy and military have done an amazing job,” Trump said.

He also claimed that 259 ships had been sunk and that Iran was facing record inflation.

Iran denies Hormuz deal offer

The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, killing the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamnei and several senior officials. Iran retaliated with attacks on US bases in the Gulf and shut down the Strait.

A ceasefire between Washington and Tehran on April 8 halted the sustained bombardment. Tensions over the waterway and the US naval blockade have flared since then.

The two sides reached a diplomatic agreement in June. It later fell apart, and both countries accused each other of violating its terms. Tehran has called for a return to the agreement as a way to secure a lasting settlement.

Iran has also denied reports that it offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the US lifting its naval blockade. Iranian news agency Tasnim said that Tehran had made no new proposal through Pakistani mediators.

Press TV described reports published by a Saudi media outlet as “a lie and fabrication”. The publication had claimed that Iran sent a proposal to the US administration through Pakistan, offering to restore access through the strategic waterway if Washington ended its blockade.