US Warnings Signal Renewed Strikes on Iran as Pressure Mounts

Indicators are mounting of a potential resumption of military confrontation between Washington and Tehran, as the United States has tightened its security measures in the region.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned that Iran has “significantly intensified its efforts to target Americans in the Middle East and beyond,” in a memo sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The memo stated that intelligence information indicates Iranian plots have reached “advanced stages.” Meanwhile, the Axios news website reported that the threats have prompted Washington to reduce the number of its diplomats in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has blocked the passage of trucks arriving from Iran through two border crossings, thereby tightening the land blockade in compliance with U.S. sanctions on Iran. The Wall Street Journal quoted an Iranian official as saying that approximately 17,000 trucks are stranded on Iran’s borders with Turkey, Afghanistan, and Azerbaijan, indicating that the disruptions affecting Iranian commercial transport are widening and are not limited to the Pakistani border.

For his part, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed Washington for the failure to reach a temporary agreement, calling for a new attempt to conclude one. Pezeshkian is also preparing for a visit to Moscow next week to participate in a summit of gas-exporting countries, where he is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

His remarks came as the spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps told the Fars News Agency that the Iranian armed forces are ready to respond to any new attack. He added, “Even if the enemy undertakes a limited action, Iran’s response will be many times greater,” amid growing indications of a possible resumption of combat operations.