Exclusive: Armed Forces spokesman says Iran will never give in to US pressure amid talks

Iran will not surrender to US pressure or demands while pursuing negotiations with Washington, Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces, said in an exclusive interview with Press TV.

His remarks came after a fresh round of indirect talks between Iranian and US representatives was held on Friday in Muscat, Oman.

The general highlighted coordination and unity between Iran’s military and diplomatic apparatus, urging the negotiating team to continue the talks with strength as they are backed by the nation and the Armed Forces.

“But we, as the Iranian Armed Forces, are ready for any potential scheme hatched by the US against our country, and we will respond appropriately, at the right time.”

Iran FM declares ‘good start’ as US–Iran talks conclude in Muscat

The Iranian foreign minister says the new round of indirect nuclear talks with the US was a good beginning and can be continued.

Iranian and American delegations, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, resumed nuclear talks in Muscat on February 6, months after Israel’s aggression of June 2025.

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi was shuttling between the sides, with the talks being held indirectly as before.

Speaking at the end of the Omani-mediated talks, the Iranian foreign minister said the negotiations with the United States were a “good start” and could be continued.

The negotiations followed weeks of tensions as the United States deployed air and naval forces to the region and threatened to attack the Islamic Republic again. Iran insists it will not give up diplomacy but stands ready to repel any act of aggression.

Iran more prepared than ever to respond to aggression

In response to a question about the level of Iran's military preparedness and deterrence capabilities of the Armed Forces, Shekarchi said Iran stands at a “very high level” to respond to the enemies’ moves.

Since the 12-day war, the Armed Forces have been boosting their preparedness to confront any “strategic mistake” by the enemies, he said.

The Iranian Armed Forces are now at even a higher level of readiness than before, the general stated.

Shekarchi reiterated the Armed Forces’ resolve to defend the nation and Iran's territorial integrity and to boost their offensive capabilities in the face of any miscalculation by the enemies.

Iran will hit more US and Israeli targets if attacked

Shekarchi warned the United States and Israel against any new act of aggression, saying the response would be more painful and decisive.

“If they make another mistake, certainly this time the response will be much more decisive and the geography of the war will be expanded.”

The spokesman warned that the US and Israeli interests across the entire region would be endangered.

“We will expand our targets beyond those targets during the 12-day war and their economic interests. We will create economic problems and issues for the United States,” he said.

The general said whoever joins the United States in a potential strategic mistake against Iran will be added to Iran's list of targets.

Iran closely monitoring enemy, ready to give ‘decisive’ response to any malicious act: Army chief

Iran’s top army commander says the Armed Forces will give a decisive response to any malicious act.

He vowed that the US and Israel would bear the consequences of any potential new mistake, saying, “During the 12-day war, they just got very heavy blows from the Iranian side, and this time it will be much more, much heavier.”

"Whoever joins the Americans and the Zionist entity in their war against Iran, in their aggression, giving them airspace or other assets, we will defend our territory with power, with strength, and based on our trust in divinity."

He said Iran’s adversaries are engaged in psychological warfare to intimidate the Iranian public. Such efforts have failed, he said.

“We are not after war. We have never been after initiating a war in the region, and if a war starts, it will be to the disadvantage of the whole region.”

Israel launched an unprovoked attack on June 13, 2025, just two days before the sixth round of Iran–US talks was scheduled in Muscat. The United States also joined the aggression and struck Iranian nuclear sites. 

On June 24, Iran, through its successful retaliatory operations against both the Israeli regime and the US, managed to impose a halt to the unlawful aggression that killed at least 1,064 people in the country.

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