Iran responds to threats with threats, intelligence minister says

Iran’s intelligence minister said the country follows a strategy of responding to threats with threats, in the face of pressure from its enemies, including the United States and Israel.

“Our approach, and that of the Iranian people, is to respond to threats with threats,” Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib said during a visit to North Khorasan province late Thursday.

He accused Israel and the US of supporting attacks in Gaza and Lebanon, and said Iran’s military and intelligence coordination had helped maintain national stability.

Khatib also warned against overreliance on diplomacy, saying the country’s strength lies in domestic capabilities. “The enemy failed in its maximum pressure campaign, and now it has turned to indirect talks,” he said.

His remarks follow recent comments by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who called for military readiness and internal resilience in response to foreign threats.