Iran's new defense minister warns Trump against new attacks

Iran's newly appointed Defense Minister Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi on Sunday warned US President Donald Trump against launching fresh attacks, saying Washington should prioritize the safe evacuation of its personnel from the region. Ketabchi said that if Trump drops even one bomb, he should consider how many American forces would be carried out horizontally, according to Breaking The News.

Ketabchi's warning came after Iran's parliament approved his nomination on Sunday, with 237 lawmakers voting in favor and 15 against. President Masoud Pezeshkian, who nominated him, told parliament that defense is not solely about missiles, emphasizing that the Iranian people's unity and cohesion are also key to the country's defensive capabilities. Pezeshkian added that the US-sanctioned nominee can 'survive.'

In a separate development, Ali Shirazi, head of the Political-Ideological Organization of Iran's Law Enforcement Forces, said Tehran has set up a new system to manage shipping and energy transit in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz without US involvement. Shirazi said that enemies' strategic calculations have consistently failed because they underestimate the faith of the Iranian people. He also described the bond between the nation and its military as unbreakable and stable.

Trump, speaking at a rally in Kentucky's Highland Heights on Saturday, said the US 'beat the s**t out of Iran,' calling the conflict a 'little excursion' to the country. He said the war was worth it and would end soon, predicting that gas prices would fall below pre-war levels once it concludes. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Tehran rejects coercion, threats, and intimidation, and will not surrender its sovereignty under pressure.

Araghchi, addressing the 52nd Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Baghdad, said Iran remains ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and credible guarantees. He noted that Tehran had negotiated in good faith over the past two years but claimed that repeated aggression by the US and Israel had created deep distrust. The statements highlight the ongoing tensions between the two nations.