Iran's Bluff

"Wise individuals who know Iran, its people and its history never speak to this nation with the language of threats, because the Iranian nation is not one to surrender."

"Americans should know that any military involvement by the U.S. will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage to them."

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Israeli air-defense systems are activated to intercept Iranian missiles over Tel Aviv on June 16, 2025.  Photograph by Menahem Kahana / AFP / Getty

 

The Trump administration's calls for the Islamic Republic to surrender, even as it is being battered by Israeli airstrikes, urging the time is right to bring the crisis to a stop and prevent a greater number of human casualties has been summarily dismissed by the regime, with the country's theocratic leader warning military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage to them". 

 

For its part, Israel has lifted some of the restrictions it was forced to impose on daily life in the Jewish state, since the Israeli strikes on Iran were initiated almost a week earlier. That lifting of restrictions suggests that the missile and drone threats emanating from Iran's retaliatory attacks in response to the Israeli air barrage have eased up. 

 

A photo released by the Israeli air force, showing fighter jets taking part in Operation "Rising Lion," which targeted nuclear sites in Iran for strikes, on June 13, 2025. EYEPRESS NEWS VIA REUTERS CONNECT

 

U.S. President Donald Trump at the outset of the Israeli bombing campaign distanced himself from the attack that surprised Tehran on Friday; more recently, however, he has alluded to the potential of greater American involvement, that he wants something "much bigger" than a ceasefire. More military aircraft and warships of the American fleet have been sent to the region.

 

President Trump had demanded that Iran surrender without conditions, warning Khamenei that American intelligence knows where he has sequestered himself ostensibly in safety from Israeli bombing, but does not at present plan to assassinate him: "at least not for now". In response, Khamenei dismissed the "threatening and absurd statements". 

 

U.S. intervention, warned an Iranian diplomat would risk "all-out war". Thousands of American troops are based within range of Iran's missiles, in nearby countries. That implied threat carries its own risk to Iran since the US. counter-threatened a massive response to any such attack occurring. Another defiant Iranian official declared the country plans to continue enriching uranium for 'peaceful purposes',  ruling out demands that Iran abandon its disputed nuclear program.

 

The most recent Israeli strikes struck a facility making uranium centrifuges, and another producing missile components. Israeli military officials observed that their defences had intercepted ten missiles overnight aimed at Israel in retaliatory barrages, much diminished from the previous nights' attacks. Israel, according to the UN nuclear watchdog agency, struck two centrifuge production facilities in and around Tehran.

 

 

Several nuclear and military sites have been struck in Israel's air campaign, killing top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 585 people have been killed and over 1,300 wounded, according to an Iranian human rights group based in Washington. Some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones have been fired by Iran in retaliatory strikes, killing at least 24 people in Israel, and wounding hundreds more.

 

Schools remain closed in Israel, with many businesses remaining shut, but the ban on gatherings and office work for all but essential employees has been eased, signalling confidence on the part of the Israeli military that its attacks have served to limit  missile capabilities in Iran. While in Iran shops are closed, and people wait in gas lines, packing roads leading out of the capital, Tehran.

 

Israel launched its strikes on Iran to prevent them from building nuclear weapons when negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over a potential diplomatic resolution made no  progress over two months. Trump had set a 60-day window for the talks to succeed, after which Israel's campaign was initiated. Iran, while insisting its nuclear program is peaceful, is the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60 percent, a technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90 percent.