Iran warns of ‘immediate, powerful’ response if Israel targets its leadership

DUBAI: Iran will deliver an immediate and powerful response to any threat against its people or leadership, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned on Wednesday, escalating tensions amid intense regional friction.

The statement came after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz remarked that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was “marked for death”.

In a post on social media platform X, Araqchi tied his warning directly to Katz’s comments, using sharp rhetoric to address both Israel and its closest ally, the United States.

“POTUS has committed the US to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their master, Iran will school them,” Araqchi wrote.

High-stakes diplomacy in Doha

The exchange on social media coincided with behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts aimed at averting a broader conflict. According to an Iranian official and a source with direct knowledge of the matter, US and Iranian officials held technical talks in Doha on Wednesday.

The discussions focused on securing a lasting ceasefire and establishing mutually agreeable terms regarding the flow of maritime shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz a vital global energy chokepoint that has frequently become a flashpoint for regional confrontations.

Shadows over regional security

The explicit threat against Iran’s supreme leader reflects the fragile state of regional security, even as technical teams attempt to negotiate maritime safeguards and a cessation of hostilities.

While Washington continues to engage in indirect and technical dialogue with Tehran to de-escalate tensions and secure commercial shipping lanes, the stark rhetoric from both Tehran and Tel Aviv highlights the deep-seated volatility threatening to disrupt ongoing diplomatic breakthroughs.