Iran issues chilling WW3 threat as plot to strike US bases revealed

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Image: GETTY)

Tehran has issued a stark warning that US military bases and Israel will become "legitimate targets" if the United States intervenes in the Islamic Republic’s deepening domestic crisis. The threat comes as nationwide protests enter their third week. 

The death toll has surged, with the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights reporting at least 538 people killed, while others suggest the figure may be higher following a recent 24-hour total internet blackout. Iran's Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, delivered the ultimatum during a televised session on Sunday, as lawmakers crowded the dais shouting "Death to America!", as Mr Ghalibaf signalled a shift towards a pre-emptive military posture. Mr Ghalibaf declared: "In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory [Israel] and all American military centres, bases, and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets."

US President Donald Trump (Image: Getty)

He further warned that Tehran would not wait to be hit first. Mr Ghalibaf said: "We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat."

The rhetoric marks a significant escalation, explicitly linking the survival of the theocracy to the threat of regional war.While Mr Ghalibaf’s words carry weight, any order for a pre-emptive strike would ultimately rest with the 86-year-old Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The civil unrest was sparked by the dramatic collapse of the Iranian rial. The currency recently fell to a record low of approximately 1.47 million to the US dollar, a collapse that has fuelled widespread calls for the end of the Islamic theocracy.

Despite a heavy security presence involving surveillance drones and the Basij militia, demonstrators have continued to gather in Tehran, Mashhad, and dozens of other cities. Many use hit-and-run tactics to evade arrest, with some footage showing protesters setting off fireworks to clear security cordons.

Iran parliament speaker issues warning to US and Israel

Of the confirmed dead, rights groups report that the majority are protesters, alongside dozens of security personnel. More than 10,600 people have been detained across the country. With phone lines severed, activists fear the communication vacuum is being used to mask a bloodier crackdown.

The international community is watching the tinderbox with growing alarm. US President Donald Trump has voiced fervent support for the movement.

Mr Trump stated on social media: "The USA stands ready to help! Iran is looking at freedom, perhaps like never before."

Reports indicate the White House has been briefed on military options for strikes on Iranian infrastructure, following the direct military confrontations of June 2025. In response, the US military stated it is "postured with forces that span the full range of combat capability."

The threat to US assets is credible; Iran has previously targeted regional hubs like Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. With the US Navy’s 5th Fleet based in Bahrain, the entire Persian Gulf remains within range of Tehran’s missile arsenal.

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is closely monitoring the situation. Following a call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Mr Netanyahu said: "We see the tremendous heroism of the Iranian people and hope they will soon be freed from the yoke of tyranny."

Even reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has adopted a harder tone as the crisis deepens. Mr Pezeshkian told state broadcaster IRIB: "The people should not allow rioters to disrupt society. If people have a concern we will hear them,but our highest duty is to not allow rioters to disrupt the peace."

As both Tehran and Washington refuse to back down, the intersection of internal revolution and external military posturing has brought the region to its most dangerous flashpoint in decades.