Trump Demands New Iran Strike Plans as Tehran Threatens "Ruthless" Retaliation

Tensions between the United States and Iran have reached a boiling point following a dramatic report by the Wall Street Journal, which reveals that President Donald Trump has directed his military chiefs and top advisors to present a plan for "decisive" military action against the Islamic Republic.

According to the report, the President rejected previous operational plans, deeming them insufficient, and is now seeking a strategy that delivers a clear and unequivocal result. This directive has placed "far-reaching" options on the table, including strikes designed to topple the regime in Tehran.

The report indicates that while the administration is considering targeted strikes against facilities belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the scope of potential action has widened significantly.

Although President Trump has temporarily held off on pulling the trigger, preparations on the ground suggest a major escalation is imminent. The U.S. has continued to pour resources into the Middle East, deploying advanced air defense systems, including Patriot batteries and THAAD systems, to protect American interests and allies in the region.

In a direct response to the looming threat, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi penned a sharp op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, issuing a stark warning to the White House.

Araghchi made it clear that Tehran would not show the same restraint it claims to have exercised in the past. "Unlike the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our armed forces will have no compunctions... to return fire—at anything—if we come under renewed attack," he wrote.

The Foreign Minister warned that this was not an idle threat but a description of reality, predicting that a full-scale conflict would be brutal and last far longer than Washington’s forecasts suggest—a message clearly aimed at capitalizing on reluctance within the Republican party for another forever war."

Araghchi also addressed the wave of civil unrest currently sweeping Iran. He dismissed the anti-regime demonstrations as legitimate economic protests that were "hijacked" by foreign and domestic terrorists.

"Media narratives have actively distorted reality and helped create an atmosphere that risks violence on an unprecedented scale," Araghchi asserted. He concluded by accusing the U.S. administration of trying to drag the American military into a war that serves only Israeli interests, noting that Trump, who brands himself a "dealmaker," has brought the region nothing but war.