‘We will hit US bases again if provoked’: Iran envoy’s chilling warning to Trump

In an unflinching warning to Washington, Iran's ambassador to India declared that Tehran had struck US military bases — an act no nation has dared to attempt — and stood ready to retaliate if provoked again.

In an interview with India Today, Dr Iraj Elahi accused the United States of unlawful aggression and vowed that any repeat would invite a matching response.

"No country in history has targeted US military bases — Iran has done it," Elahi said, referring to Tehran’s missile strikes on American bases in Qatar and Iraq on June 24. "You may call it symbolic, but if the US repeats such unlawful action, it will face the same response."

The unprecedented Iranian strikes followed retaliatory attacks after Israel bombed three of Iran’s key nuclear sites. Though most of Tehran’s missiles were intercepted, the act sent shockwaves across the region, marking a rare direct assault on American forces.

Shortly after the exchange, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been brokered between Iran and Israel, halting a 12-day conflict that left hundreds dead and tensions soaring.

But Elahi made it clear: the truce remains fragile. He directly called out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, branding him "unreliable" and accusing Israel of committing war crimes.

"Netanyahu launched military aggression not only against Iran but also against civilians — residential areas, ambulances, hospitals. He ignored international and humanitarian laws," Elahi charged. "We are prepared to respond decisively to any future Israeli action."

Israel justified its June 13 strikes by claiming Iran was on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons — a charge Tehran vehemently denies. “Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and we possess no nuclear weapons,” Elahi asserted. “Israel’s pretext of enriched uranium is baseless. The unlawful regime in Israel is destabilizing the region.”

Despite Israel’s advanced missile defense network — including the Iron Dome — Elahi insisted that Iranian missiles successfully penetrated Israeli territory during the recent conflict. “Multiple defense systems were active in Israel, but our missiles still reached their intended targets,” he said.

While Iran, according to Elahi, is not seeking an expansion of the war, he issued a stark caution against external intervention. "Other powers should stay out of this playground," he said.

Turning his focus to Washington, Elahi accused the US and its Western allies of emboldening Israel’s aggression. “Israel cannot act without US and Western backing. Washington’s decades-long dream of regime change in Iran will remain just that — a dream,” he said.

Describing the relationship between Netanyahu and Trump as "complicated," Elahi criticized Trump’s failed promises on Gaza. “He vowed to bring peace to Gaza. Instead, genocide continues. Netanyahu faces credible war crime allegations and knows that if hostilities end, accountability awaits him.”

The envoy also addressed Tehran’s veiled threat to shut down the Strait of Hormuz — a critical oil artery — after the US strikes. "We will explore all options to safeguard our sovereignty," he said, but added, "We have deliberately confined the conflict to Israel to avoid harming other nations."