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Iran has issued stark warnings of retaliation, including possible strikes on Tel Aviv and US military facilities in the region, should the United States act on threats against Iranian infrastructure. The statements, reported by Russia's state news agency TASS, come amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Iranian energy facilities.

Coverage Comparison

Two separate reports from TASS, the Russian state news agency, detail Iran's military posturing. The first, dated April 4, quotes the General Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces warning of "much more powerful strikes" on Tel Aviv and other targets if US threats to destroy Iranian bridges and power stations are carried out. The second, dated March 23, cites a senior security official in Tehran saying Iran would respond "asymmetrically" to further threats against critical infrastructure.

Both reports attribute the escalating rhetoric to US President Donald Trump's threats, including a reported 48-hour ultimatum for the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, the extracts provided do not include direct quotes from US officials, and the reports rely solely on Iranian military sources.

Key Claims

  • Strikes on Tel Aviv: The Iranian Armed Forces headquarters warned that if US threats to destroy Iranian bridges, electricity stations, and energy infrastructure materialize, the military would launch "much more serious strikes" on "more important and vaster sectors" in Tel Aviv, which Iran considers the capital of Israel. This claim is carried by a single report from TASS.
  • Retaliation against US and Israeli facilities: Iran's military statement also threatened attacks on US and Israeli fuel and energy facilities, economic hubs, and power stations. This is part of the same April 4 statement.
  • Advice to host countries of US bases: The Iranian military advised countries hosting US military bases to force the Americans to leave their territory to avoid damage. This was included in the same statement.
  • Asymmetric response: A senior Iranian security official told TASS that Iran's response to further threats would be "asymmetric and several times greater than the damage inflicted." This was reported on March 23, and the source claimed Iran had already delivered a "strong but proportionate response" to an attack on the Assaluyeh energy network. No independent verification of this attack or the response is provided in the extracts.
  • Trump's ultimatum: The reports reference US President Donald Trump's statement that the US would destroy Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully opened for shipping within 48 hours. This is mentioned in the March 23 report, but no direct quote or timing is given in the extracts.