Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh of Iran indicated on Wednesday that, should nuclear negotiations fail and conflict erupt with the United States, Iranian forces would target American bases in the region. This comes days before the anticipated sixth round of Iran-U.S. nuclear talks.
“Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don’t come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us… all U.S. bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” Nasirzadeh reportedly said during a press conference. On the other hand, President Donald Trump has not dismissed the option of bombing Iran if a fresh nuclear agreement is not reached.
The forthcoming round of discussions is due this week, with Trump announcing that the negotiations would commence on Thursday. However, Tehran contradicts this, stating they will take place on Sunday in Oman. Iran is anticipated to present a counter-proposal to a previous U.S. offer for a nuclear agreement it had rejected. President Trump responded on Tuesday, stating Iran is becoming “much more aggressive” in nuclear talks.
Nasirzadeh stated that Tehran recently tested a missile with a two-ton warhead and does not accept limitations. In February, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had proclaimed that Iran should further its military development, including its missiles. This raises important questions about the future stability of the region.
