Ali Larijani's statement that Iran would develop nuclear weapons if attacked gained significant traction, prompting Russia to warn of "catastrophic consequences" for the region if Iranian nuclear facilities were targeted. This warning directly responded to Trump's threats and Israeli media's claims of an imminent "massive attack."
Israeli airstrikes in south Beirut killed at least four people, marking the second attack since the November ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. Iran's UN representative Iravani sent a letter to the Secretary-General condemning Trump's statements, while Foreign Minister Araghchi insisted "there is no such thing as a military option."
The US imposed new sanctions on Iran's drone supply network across three countries. Iranian media analyzed potential scenarios for striking the Diego Garcia base with long-range missiles, demonstrating the continuing cycle of threats and counter-threats that has characterized the past week.