Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued the Islamic Republic's most direct threat to the United States in an opinion piece published by The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.
"Unlike the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack. This isn’t a threat, but a reality I feel I need to convey explicitly, because as a diplomat and a veteran, I abhor war," Araghchi wrote.
The foreign minister went on to repeatedly blame a potential military conflict with the US on Israel.
"An all-out confrontation will certainly be ferocious and drag on far, far longer than the fantasy timelines that Israel and its proxies are trying to peddle to the White House," he wrote. "It will certainly engulf the wider region and have an impact on ordinary people around the globe. I will do anything in my power to prevent that scenario from materializing."
He also alleged that the US and Iran were "very close to a middle-way solution during negotiations in Oman last May," but that the deal ultimately did not pan out.
Iranian FM blames Israel for unrest with US
"Why? Because of Israel’s proxies in the White House, who couldn’t possibly care less about American interests."
He then accused the US of trying to commit "every conceivable hostile act against Iran, from sanctions and cyber assaults to outright military attack." He also claimed that the US "clearly fanned a major terrorist operation, all of which failed."
Araghchi pointed to Trump's foreign policy record as evidence for his claims.
"Mr. Trump perceives himself as a deal maker. What he has so far brought to our region, however, has only been war. Look at Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and even Qatar, and count how many have lost their lives during his 12 months in office."
He also blamed Trump for encouraging the EU's snapback sanctions on Iran because of its nuclear program’s violations. Following a process initiated by the UK, France, and Germany at the end of August, the Security Council reinstated an arms embargo and other sanctions on Iran, extending beyond nuclear-specific issues to encompass a variety of weapons systems.
"Iran will always choose peace over war. We have always been ready for real and serious negotiations to achieve a fair and balanced deal, and we have proved it time and again in recent years. Mindful of what we experienced in June and September 2025, we are unconvinced that the US shares that mindset," Araghchi alleged.
"It is time to think differently," he wrote, referring to Trump.
"Try respect, which will allow us to advance farther than one may believe."
Araghchi dismisses protest crackdown, claims terrorists influenced by West started violence
Later in the opinion piece, the foreign minister alleged that the protests were recognized as valid by the regime, but were taken over by terrorists influenced by Western media.
"They [the protests] suddenly turned violent when foreign and domestic terrorist actors entered the scene, so blocking communication among organizers of the rioters and terrorists was an imperative," he wrote, adding that the violent protests only lasted for 72 hours.
The Jerusalem Post's reporting has directly contradicted his claims.
Several Iranians contacted by the Post used the same word to describe their condition: Hostages.
“We are hostages inside our own country,” one message read. “We don’t know what is happening in the next street, let alone the next city.”
One man told the National Union for Democracy in Iran that he had experienced “the worst, worst, worst days of my life.
"With the things I saw and experienced, I don’t think I will ever be the same person as before. It is a crime against humanity. Tell the whole world that a crime against humanity has taken place here.”
“The Islamic Republic turned the streets into rivers of blood,” he added. “No one has been able to show the depth of the crimes, because the regime shut down the internet.”
Araghchi disputed reports of violence and blamed Western media for the violence.
"Media narratives have actively distorted reality and helped create an atmosphere that risks unleashing violence on an unprecedented scale in our region. If I had to guess, I would say violence was the precise purpose of this apparent misinformation campaign."
He alleged that Iranian police were "caught off guard by coordinated, large-scale armed attacks," and claimed that officers were shot and beheaded, and that several public and religious institutions were destroyed by protesters.
Araghchi claimed that the majority of the dead were police officers and ordinary citizens. However, information from Iranian dissident authorities directly contradicts his claims.
"To put the shocking scale of violence in perspective, it was the equivalent of 600 law-enforcement personnel in the US being killed in 72 hours. No government would sit idly by as its citizens were subjected to such unfathomable horrors."
According to Iranian officials, at least 5,000 people have been killed since protests began on December 28, including around 500 members of the security forces. Human rights activists and opposition groups say the death toll could be far higher, potentially exceeding 20,000. Additionally, at least 24,669 Iranians have been arrested.
Araghchi also claimed that all unarmed victims were recognized by Iran as martyrs, and said that their families would receive full support of the state.
The opinion piece comes after Araghchi was barred from the Davos conference due to the violent response to protests that have wracked Iran over the past three weeks.
“The tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran over the past few weeks means that it is not right for the Iranian government to be represented at Davos this year,” the World Economic Forum said, noting that Araghchi was invited long before the protests broke out.