Tehran [Iran], June 12: Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh announced today, June 11, that if nuclear negotiations fail and conflict occurs with the US, Iran will attack US bases in the region.
"Some officials on the other side are threatening a conflict if the talks fail. If the conflict comes to us... all American bases are within our reach and we will boldly target those bases...", Reuters quoted Mr. Nasirzadeh as emphasizing at a press conference.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran if the two sides do not reach a new nuclear deal.
Nasirzadeh also said Tehran had recently tested a missile with a two-ton warhead and would not accept restrictions. In February, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Iran should step up its military development, including missiles.
Nasirzadeh's comments come days before a sixth round of Iran-US nuclear talks scheduled for this week. Trump said the talks would be held on June 12, while Tehran said they would take place in Oman on June 15.
Iran is expected to present a counter-proposal to a previous US proposal for a nuclear deal that Tehran rejected in the new round of talks. President Trump said on June 10 that Iran was becoming "much more aggressive" in nuclear talks, according to Reuters. Trump also said the next round of talks could clarify whether a nuclear deal could be reached to avoid military action, according to AFP.
In an interview published by the IRNA news agency on June 10, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi affirmed that there was no "deadlock" in the negotiations and that the next round would be the first in which the parties discussed "any written document".
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
