Iran's supreme leader warns US, Israel against new attacks

TEHRAN: Iran's supreme leader on Saturday (Oct 31) warned the United States and Israel against launching new attacks following their threats to resume strikes after crucial elections.

President Donald Trump has warned of fresh military action after the US holds midterm elections on Tuesday, saying last weekend he was weighing up whether to "finish them off".

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken of a "historic, one-time opportunity" to topple the Iranian government.

Both countries are holding legislative polls that could determine the direction of the conflict, with Israel having voted on Tuesday and the US midterms set for next week.

"If the enemies once again launch military or terrorist attacks, it is the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation that will determine the time and conditions for ending them," Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Saturday in a statement.

"Any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response," he is said to have told top military commanders in a meeting.

The encounter was the first reported between Khamenei and military top brass and included armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi, army chief Amir Hatami and Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi.

The supreme leader has not been seen publicly since he took the helm in March after the killing of his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes at the outset of the war.

Khamenei also ordered commanders to update Iran's target list to include "all types of tangible and intangible assets belonging to the American-Zionist enemy".

Iran has previously warned it would consider severing undersea cables in the Strait of Hormuz.

Since the outbreak of the war, Tehran has restricted shipping traffic through the strategic waterway, which normally carries around one-fifth of global oil consumption.

The blockade has caused a spike in global energy prices, making the war unpopular among the American public ahead of the midterms this Tuesday.

Trump's approval ratings are already at a record low, and gains for the opposition Democrats would restrict his ability to enact policy.

Voting in Israel has left Netanyahu's political camp with the most seats in parliament but short of a majority to form a government, leaving the make-up of the next administration unclear.

Under Netanyahu, who has vowed to topple Iran's government, Israel and Iran have engaged in direct military confrontations for the first time after decades of shadow war.

"FLAMES OF WAR"

The war began on Feb 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The Islamic Republic swiftly responded with attacks on American assets in countries around the region.

Fresh diplomatic efforts are underway to avert any resumption of fighting, with Qatari mediators in Tehran, and US Vice President JD Vance reportedly sending a letter to Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei.

On Friday, a Qatari delegation arrived in the Iranian capital for talks with senior Iranian officials.

Qatar and Pakistan have been mediating between the warring parties, but the talks have yet to produce a lasting agreement.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Vance had sent his letter to Iran's security chief at the direction of President Donald Trump in a bid to revive negotiations and avert further US strikes.

Earlier on Saturday, Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akaraminia warned that any resumption of hostilities would only expand the scope of the war.

"If the US president once again embarks on more regional adventurism under pressure from, and in an attempt to appease, the Zionists, the flames of war will undoubtedly engulf a much wider geographical area," he said in a post on X, without elaborating.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Saturday of an "Earth-shattering blow Iran's Powerful Armed Forces will deal against those who dare harm our people".