The Sun, on Iran, 31 October 2026

8.0out of 10Severe

Iran’s Supreme Leader issues stark warning to US against attacks as Ayatollah vows ‘immediate’ response to any threats

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Comment now Next IRAN’S Mojtaba Khamenei has warned the US not to renew its strikes, vowing to respond immediately to any attack. The Ayatollah ordered his army to be prepared as speculation grows that the Middle East is on the verge of another all-out war . 4 The US military is reportedly ready to strike Iran ‘within days’ Credit: AFP 4 Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed to respond Credit: EPA Advertisement Tensions have flared again after a period of relative quiet, with the US reportedly ready to strike “within days” and Donald Trump promising to “finish the job”.

Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since the first US-Israeli strikes , ordered commanders to deliver an “immediate, effective response without geographical limitations,” in a post on Telegram. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. The statement continued: “If the enemies once again launch military or terrorist attacks, it is the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation that will determine the time and conditions for their end.”

is believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries and lost a leg during Operation Epic Fury on February 28. Read more on Iran ONCE AND FOR ALL How Trump is plotting ‘short, sharp’ 72hr strike to cripple Iran SPY GAMES Iran’s UK 'spy network' EXPOSED…sleeper cells, blackmail & 'Bond-villain methods' But ordered an update of the military target list to bring US and Israeli assets within the reach of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

It comes as the US military has deployed sufficient forces in the Middle East to carry out a new wave of attacks, sources told CNN . Renewed strikes would likely go beyond efforts to “mow the lawn” or hit Iranian assets that could be quickly rebuilt, they added. One source told the outlet: “It will be a big effort.” Advertisement Most read in The Sun 'CREEPS' BUSTED Ex- Disney World Mickey Mouse actor among 300 'child predators' busted JUSTICE VOICES Children burned & babies drowned – testimony of women who brought down Nazis ISLAND HELL Inside Philippines’ child sex abuse epidemic as Thomas Markle's 'cache' probed 4 Israeli soldiers, supported by a tank, conduct an operation in Zawtar al-Sharkiya, Lebanon on October 25, 2026 Credit: AFP 4 Armed members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) walk in front of an anti-Trump banner Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Current and former officials have reportedly echoed that view, saying it is a case of when, not if, Trump issues the order.

They believe strikes will resume before the end of the year, likely after the US midterm elections. US Central Command is said to be developing a long list of potential targets across Iran ‘s energy , military and nuclear infrastructure. Advertisement Iran and the Houthis are said to be taking possible renewed attacks very seriously, two other sources told CNN . Any attack launched by the US or Israel would trigger immediate retaliatory strikes against American facilities in the region, they added.

However one said that both Iran and the Houthis are unlikely to preemptively strike. Trump meanwhile threw his weight behind Benjamin Netanyahu as Israelis await the final results of Tuesday’s elections. In a Truth Social post the day before, Trump wrote: “When you go to the Polls please remember that Bibi has been an outstanding warrior prime minister! Advertisement How Trump is plotting ‘short, sharp’ 72hr strike to cripple Iran by Claudia Lee, Foreign News Reporter DONALD Trump is planning to cripple Iran with a “short and sharp” strike campaign in a final bid to , experts say.

Months into deadlocked peace talks, Tehran remains steadfast in its refusal to back down and meet US demands to dismantle its nuclear programme. To break the stalemate, the US president has deployed forces to the Middle East as he prepares to unleash one final, debilitating blitz. Former British army officer Simon Diggins told The Sun: “This particular campaign is going to be short and sharp.” Current and former officials have reportedly said it is a case of when, not if, Trump issues the order.

They believe strikes will resume before the end of the year, likely after the US midterm elections on November 3. A renewed offensive will likely see the US return to its initial tactics used at the start of the war – a “high intensity” bombing campaign. Simon said: “Currently the planning is about a seventy-two-hour attack. That might be 72 hours across days or a week. “The 72 hours at the very beginning of the war in February was extremely effective.”

Read more here . “As everyone is aware, including the enemy, Bibi and I have had a great relationship in winning together. “We did Operation Midnight Hammer, . “Then we did Operation Epic Fury, and Iran now has No Navy, No Air Force, and both their Military and Economy are in shambles. RECOMMENDED STORIES “There can no longer be the chant heard around the World of “Death to America, Death to Israel,” and there won’t be.

“Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister, we have to finish the job that we started!” Advertisement Comment now

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What we found (3)

The Sun reports Mojtaba Khamenei's Telegram order to Iran's armed forces, but in its own voice calls him a 'nepo-terrorist leader' and 'tyrant' with nothing in the article to support the terrorism charge. It casts doubt on a statement other outlets attribute to his official account. It closes on Trump's unanswered claim that US strikes stopped Iran 'obtaining a Nuclear Weapon', with no Iranian or IAEA account set against it.

  1. Smears a named person

    Severe

    “nepo-terrorist leader”

    Why this matters
    The words 'nepo-terrorist leader' brand Mojtaba Khamenei a terrorist in The Sun's own narration, in the opening line of the news report.
    The impression it gives
    The reader takes it as established fact that Iran's supreme leader is a terrorist, and reads his warning as a terrorist's threat.
    The context
    Nothing in the article supports a terrorism charge against him. The article's own account of his statement is a warning conditional on renewed attack. Other outlets reporting the same statement call him Iran's supreme leader and attach no such label.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has warned the US not to renew its strikes, vowing to respond immediately to any attack.

  2. Uses a loaded word

    Minor

    “Iranian Supreme Tyrant”

    Why this matters
    The picture caption swaps his title of Supreme Leader for 'Supreme Tyrant' in The Sun's own voice.
    The impression it gives
    The reader takes 'tyrant' as a description of his office rather than as the paper's verdict.
    The context
    His title is Supreme Leader, as the outlet's own headline and the other coverage use. 'Tyrant' is The Sun's judgement, given without attribution.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

    “The tyrant”

    Why this matters
    The Sun uses 'The tyrant' as a plain noun for Khamenei when it reports his injuries.
    The impression it gives
    The reader comes to treat 'tyrant' as his ordinary name in a factual passage about his health.
    The context
    The label repeats the outlet's verdict as narration. Nothing in the sentence or the article attributes it to anyone.

    How we know

    • In the headline“Iran’s Supreme Leader issues stark warning”

    Show it in the article

    “force the regime’s hand”

    Why this matters
    The embedded Sun article calls Iran's government 'the regime' in its own narration.
    The impression it gives
    The reader takes Iran's government as illegitimate by description, not by any reported fact.
    The context
    The brief prefers 'Iran's government'. 'Regime' here is not attributed to the expert quoted or to any official.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“Tehran remains steadfast in its refusal”

    Show it in the article

    “his supposed statement”

    Why this matters
    The word 'supposed' casts doubt on whether Khamenei issued the statement at all.
    The impression it gives
    The reader suspects the statement may not be genuine.
    The context
    The article itself says the order came in a post on Telegram. Other outlets report it was published on his official Telegram account. Nothing in the material questions its authenticity.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  3. Gives a contested claim the last word

    Minor

    “stopping the World’s Number One State Sponsor of Terror from obtaining a Nuclear Weapon”

    Why this matters
    The Sun closes the article on Trump's claim that US strikes stopped Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
    The impression it gives
    The reader comes away believing Iran was on the point of obtaining a nuclear weapon and that the strikes prevented it.
    The context
    This is Trump's claim. The article sets no Iranian response and no IAEA finding against it. The article's own reporting speaks only of US demands to dismantle Iran's nuclear programme, not of a weapon.

    How we know

    • Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “IAEA”.
    • Elsewhere in the article“meet US demands to dismantle its nuclear programme”

    Show it in the article

How other outlets reported it

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