Iran Threatens U.S. With 'Complex War,' Vows Painful Response

Tehran warnings and visuals

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei publicly warned that Tehran faces a 'complex war' and vowed any Iranian response would be 'painful and regrettable.'

Baghaei made the comments amid rising U.S.–Iran tensions and what Iranian officials describe as ongoing Israeli threats.

The warnings were accompanied in Tehran by a striking public display: a giant banner showing a U.S. aircraft carrier and the American flag at Enqelab (Revolution) Square on Jan. 25.

Those statements and visuals have circulated as part of an intensifying rhetorical standoff between Tehran and Washington, with Iranian officials signaling readiness to retaliate against perceived aggression.

Reporting for this sectionmiddleeastmonitorPressTVخبرگزاری آنا

Iran statements on deterrence

Iranian officials, as quoted in regional outlets, expanded the claim beyond simple deterrence, with PressTV reporting Baghaei asserting that respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty is paramount and accusing Western states of selective application that undermines their credibility. The same reporting quotes Baghaei warning of a 'regret-inducing response' to aggression and saying Iran is 'now more capable than before,' language that positions Tehran as both defensive and prepared to escalate if it perceives threats. Other sources capture parts of this rhetoric but vary in the depth of contextual detail provided.

Reporting for this sectionPressTVmiddleeastmonitorخبرگزاری آنا

PressTV's framing of the West

PressTV’s coverage places the warnings within a broader accusatory framework.

It accuses the United States and Israel of conducting 'hybrid warfare,' including alleged direct intelligence involvement in domestic unrest that began on Jan. 8.

It condemns international measures unfavorable to Tehran, calling a UN Human Rights Council resolution a 'distorted narrative' and denouncing the European Parliament’s move to label the IRGC a 'terrorist organization' as unlawful.

That framing underscores a combative, sovereign-defense narrative from an Iranian perspective and portrays Western actions as part of a deliberate campaign against Iran.

Reporting for this sectionPressTVmiddleeastmonitorخبرگزاری آنا

Coverage and reporting gaps

Coverage and available details vary, and some sources are incomplete or serve a different function. A fragment from خبرگزاری آنا reports that a special envoy denied the reports, called them false, and described them as part of a broader misinformation campaign, but the full context is not available in the excerpt. djournal’s snippet does not report on the incident itself but instead promotes an Associated Press newsletter and asks readers to paste the full article if they intended a different piece.

These issues underscore that more complete reporting or primary texts may be necessary to resolve gaps. These gaps create ambiguity about who else in the Iranian government or the international community has responded and what specific actions, if any, have been taken beyond rhetoric and public displays.

Reporting for this sectionخبرگزاری آناdjournalmiddleeastmonitorPressTV

Iranian tensions reporting

Iranian officials described recent tensions as part of a "complex war" environment and vowed retaliatory measures portrayed as potentially "painful". PressTV framed a broader narrative that accused Western states of hypocrisy and alleged hybrid operations by the United States and Israel. Other items included denials from خبرگزاری آنا and administrative or meta text about article sourcing from djournal.

Some details remain unclear or unconfirmed in the supplied excerpts. Readers should treat the scope and severity of any promised actions as claims reported by Iranian and regional outlets and recognize gaps in independent corroboration.

Reporting for this sectionPressTVmiddleeastmonitorخبرگزاری آناdjournal