Iran issues gloomy warning to US: ‘All necessary options on the table’

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned on Thursday that “all necessary options are on the table” in response to renewed U.S. threats of military action.

President Donald Trump recently threatened to launch strikes against Iran but has since announced a two-week pause to assess the situation and determine the next course of action.

“If the U.S. wants to actively intervene in support of Israel, Iran will have no other option but to use its tools to teach aggressors a lesson and defend itself. Our military decision-makers have all necessary options on the table,” Gharibabadi said, according to Russia’s TASS news agency, citing Iranian media.

“Our recommendation to the U.S. is to at least stand by if they do not wish to stop Israel's aggression,” he added.

On Thursday, Iran struck the Soroka Medical Center in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba, wounding 71 people, according to local authorities.

Iran has not disclosed its own casualty figures, but officials confirmed that the Arak heavy water reactor was struck during Israeli retaliatory fire.

(QG - Source: Newsweek / BBC - Picture : © Unsplash)