Iran threatens broad retaliation, vows to strike US bases

Iran's military has vowed to launch immediate and unrestricted strikes against US bases and aircraft carriers in the Gulf if attacked, sharply escalating tensions after warnings from Washington and new sanctions from Europe.

The threat was issued on Thursday, January 30, by Iranian military spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia in a televised statement. He declared that numerous US military assets in the region are "within the range of our medium-range missiles" and asserted that US carriers have "serious vulnerabilities."

The warning is a direct response to recent pressure from the United States and the European Union. US President Donald Trump had earlier stated that time was running out for Iran to secure a new nuclear deal. Simultaneously, the European Union moved to formally designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.

This exchange marks a significant hardening of rhetoric, with Iran explicitly threatening core components of US military power in the Middle East. The situation continues to develop amid heightened regional instability.