Iran says response to new U.S. attacks would be "10 times as severe" - Al Jazeera

 Iran's armed forces have warned that any renewed U.S. attacks would be met with a response that is "10 times" as severe, following President Donald Trump's threat that future strikes on the Islamic Republic would be five times greater than prior ones. 

Al Jazeera reported that the senior spokesperson for Iran's armed forces -- Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi -- vowed to carry out strikes that would astonish the world should Trump follow through on his threat.

Citing a news outlet close to Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Al Jazeera added that Shekarchi said U.S. targets would be hit if they were within reach.

The comments come amid mixed messaging around the outlook for the Iran war. Hopes have grown that a Democratic victory in the U.S. midterm elections earlier this month will herald more progress towards peace in the Middle East, while shipping data has indicated that oil flows out of the region are recovering despite the prospect of continued strikes on tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. 

Trump has said he does not believe carrying out more strikes on Iran will be necessary. Vice President JD Vance is also said to considering in-person talks with top Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The potential negotiations could represent a fresh push by Washington to conclude the war, which Vance has largely blamed for hurting the Republican Party’s performance in the November midterm elections. 

Still, the U.S. and Iran remain at odds over a number of key issues, including an American naval blockade of Iranian ports and frozen assets. Iran’s Rezaei has also suggested that no enriched uranium material will be allowed to leave the country, possibly rejecting a major U.S. demand that Tehran halt its nuclear ambitions. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also said that pressure from U.S. sanctions had not weakened the country, arguing that Iran's allies allow it to avoid becoming economically isolated, Al Jazeera reported.