Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which oversees unified command of the country's armed forces, said on the 20th that the United States had decided to resume action against Iran and warned regional countries not to take part. The same day, the Iranian Army said it had deployed military units, including rapid reaction forces, along its northwestern, western, southwestern and northeastern borders and on the Makran coast.
"Special forces, rapid reaction units, mechanized units and artillery units are conducting operations in border areas with the support they need," Iranian Army Commander Ali Jahanshahi said.
According to Iran's Tasnim news agency, Khatam al-Anbiya said in a statement that day that "the United States, with the approval of some regional countries, has decided once again to resume actions against Iran," adding that "this decision was made at a joint meeting held in a European country."
The headquarters said that if the United States "makes any mistake against Iran, all U.S. bases and assets in the region will become targets of continuous, effective and painful attacks, without any limits or considerations."
Addressing regional states, it said that "if they continue their double-track policy toward Iran and go along with U.S. aggression against Iran, all of them will be regarded as accomplices in this wrongful act," stressing that they should "no longer expect restraint or tolerance from Iran's armed forces."
Separately, Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the National Security Committee of Iran's parliament, said resuming negotiations with the United States would be pointless. "If Iran's membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) no longer serves its interests, we will reconsider whether to remain a party to it," he said, warning that "if the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues its one-sided behavior, it will face a serious and regrettable response."
He said Oman's delay, under U.S. influence, of an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz would harm both Oman and regional security, adding that "it would be better for the countries on the southern shore of the Persian Gulf to recognize that they must cooperate and coordinate with the Islamic Republic."
