Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a sharp warning to the United States on Sunday, cautioning against any renewed military strikes against Tehran.
Araghchi delivered the warning via social platform X, invoking the outcome of previous hostilities to challenge American resolve in the ongoing conflict.
“Last time you wanted to ‘finish the job’, Iran emerged even stronger. Want to try your luck again? Be our guest. But be careful; we have unfinished jobs too,” Araghchi wrote.
The foreign minister also directed pointed criticism at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of deliberately steering the United States toward a wider war for personal reasons.
“Netanyahu is driving America into another war to stay out of jail, whatever the consequences for Israel—let alone POTUS,” Araghchi concluded in his post.
This is not the first time Araghchi has taken aim at Netanyahu, having previously described the Israeli leader as a “degenerate gambler” who is “desperately seeking to save himself with more U.S. blood and treasure.”
The conflict originated with U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, with Netanyahu reportedly persuading President Trump that a war could spark a popular uprising against Iran’s hard-line Islamic government.
That pitch, said to have been pushed heavily by Israeli intelligence, ultimately drew American forces into a military confrontation that has now claimed 21 American lives, according to updated Defense Department figures.
The Pentagon’s revised toll, released earlier this month, underscores the mounting human cost of a conflict that shows little sign of reaching a swift resolution through military means alone.
On the diplomatic front, Araghchi indicated earlier Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen within days, but attached a firm condition to that outcome, according to CBS News.
Iran’s reopening of the strategically vital waterway hinges on the United States complying with a seven-day ceasefire proposal that Tehran put forward on September 7, Araghchi said.
The Strait of Hormuz carries a significant portion of the world’s oil supply, and its continued closure has rattled global energy markets and raised concerns among American trading partners.
With 21 American service members dead and diplomatic negotiations at a critical juncture, pressure is mounting on the Trump administration to weigh the risks of escalation against the terms Tehran has placed on the table.
