IRGC says Iran will defend itself if US strikes Pickaxe Mountain
The warning comes as US and Iranian officials describe recent talks as productive, with another round scheduled.
Published
An Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson said Iran will defend itself with all the power at its disposal if the United States attacks, including at Pickaxe Mountain or elsewhere. The spokesperson said Iran's response would be a military matter, with operational details not disclosed in advance, and that Iran would show its response through action rather than propaganda.
Trump has said there will be a point when it becomes too late to avoid a strike on Pickaxe Mountain, and that he hopes Iran acts quickly. He has also said he has seen no sign of activity at the site and would strike if that changes, and that a conflict with Iran could end after the midterm elections, or possibly sooner.
The warning comes in the middle of active diplomacy. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Iranian mediators, including Foreign Minister Araghchi, and Trump described the talks as productive, with momentum toward a deal and another round scheduled. Iran has kept its own conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz in place throughout, including lifting a naval blockade, releasing frozen assets and ending regional conflicts, and its parliament has proposed a 20% transit fine for the strait. The US has said it is helping restore oil flow through Hormuz even as those Iranian conditions stand.
Iran's statement hardens its public posture just as US officials have been signalling progress toward an agreement. The explicit commitment to undisclosed military action, set against that diplomatic momentum, raises the near-term risk of escalation and cuts against the de-escalation narrative that had been building around the talks.