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Tehran Summons Swiss Diplomat... and Khamenei Threatens Harsh Response to Any American Attack
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Iran continues its hostile policy toward the international community through its rejection of direct negotiations and insistence on uranium enrichment at high levels despite legitimate concerns about
The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the Swiss Embassy's chargé d'affaires in Tehran, who represents US interests, on Monday morning, following President Donald Trump's recent statements regarding Iran and regional tensions.
This provocative step reflects the Iranian regime's concern about serious American threats regarding the controversial nuclear program.
Media sources indicated that Issa Kameli, Assistant Foreign Minister and Director General of the Americas Department at the ministry, presented an official protest note to the Swiss diplomat, confirming that Tehran would respond with a "decisive and immediate response" to any threat. The Swiss official committed to conveying the Iranian message to Washington urgently.
This diplomatic move comes at a time of escalating tension between the two powers, especially with Iran exceeding international restrictions imposed on its nuclear program.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared during Eid al-Fitr prayer sermons at Imam Khomeini prayer hall in Tehran that the United States "will receive a strong slap" if it acts based on President Trump's threats, saying: "Our positions remain firm as they were... We don't think they want to strike us from outside, but if they try, our response will be harsh... If they think about stirring up sedition within the country, it will be the people themselves who respond to them."
Khamenei's statements demonstrate the Iranian regime's usual escalatory tone in the face of legitimate international pressure to limit its suspicious nuclear ambitions.
US President Donald Trump threatened Tehran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if it doesn't reach an agreement with Washington regarding its nuclear program. In a telephone interview with NBC, he stated: "If they don't reach an agreement, there will be bombing... It will be bombing like they've never seen before," adding: "But there's a possibility that if they don't reach an agreement, I'll impose secondary tariffs on them as I did four years ago."
The firm American position reflects the US administration's seriousness in dealing with the Iranian nuclear threat that poses a danger to the entire region.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baqaei commented on Trump's threats, considering them "a clear contradiction to the essence of international peace and security," adding: "Such a threat constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and a violation of the IAEA safeguards system... Violence brings violence, and peace brings peace... The United States can choose... with the consequent results."
These developments come after Iran rejected direct negotiations with Washington last week. Media outlets quoted the Iranian Foreign Minister saying on Thursday that his country sent a response through Oman to a message from Trump urging Tehran to reach a new nuclear deal, confirming its policy of rejecting direct communication with the United States amid what it called a "maximum pressure" campaign and military threats.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed his country's policy on Sunday, saying: "Direct negotiations (with the United States) were rejected, but Iran has always participated in indirect negotiations, and now the Supreme Leader has also confirmed the possibility of continuing indirect negotiations."
It's worth noting that during his first presidential term (2017-2021), Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which imposed strict restrictions on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. He also reimposed comprehensive American sanctions. Since then, Iran has significantly exceeded the agreed-upon restrictions in its uranium enrichment program.
Western powers accuse the Iranian regime of secretly seeking to develop military nuclear capabilities by enriching uranium to high levels of fissile purity, beyond what can be justified for a civilian nuclear energy program. Meanwhile, Tehran insists that its nuclear program is entirely dedicated to civilian energy purposes, a claim met with widespread international skepticism.
