A senior Iranian security official has issued a warning to U.S. President Donald Trump in an online message, escalating tensions as the war between Iran and U.S.–Israeli forces entered its 10th day on Tuesday.
Ali Larijani posted the message on X after Trump threatened to strike Iran “twenty times harder” if Tehran attempted to halt oil shipments through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
Responding to the threat, Larijani dismissed Trump’s warning as “empty threats”, saying the Iranian nation had survived stronger enemies in the past. He also cautioned the U.S. president to be careful “not to get eliminated yourself”. Iran has previously been accused by U.S. officials of plotting attempts to kill Trump.
The sharp exchange came as Tehran signalled defiance despite mounting military pressure. Iranian leaders recently selected Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in strikes linked to the ongoing conflict.
The leadership change has further raised tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Trump criticising Mojtaba’s appointment while Iran vows to continue resisting U.S. and Israeli attacks.
