Iran issues stark warning to the United States

Iranian lawmaker Abbas Moghtadaei, deputy chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, has warned that Tehran could retaliate against U.S. and allied targets if Washington launches a major attack on Iran using highly destructive weapons.

Speaking to the Iranian Parliament’s ICANA news agency, Moghtadaei warned that Iran could target U.S. military installations, allied facilities, and other American-linked interests across the region.

He reportedly went further, saying Iran could “turn the White House into a Black House” if the United States uses weapons of such magnitude against Iran.

The warning comes amid heightened tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States, as reports emerge of U.S. contingency planning for potential strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities.

One weapon reportedly discussed is the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), commonly known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” one of the most powerful conventional weapons in the U.S. arsenal.

What could happen next?

Iran possesses a range of capabilities that could threaten U.S. and allied interests in the region, including ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, naval forces, and regional networks capable of conducting attacks against military and infrastructure targets.

However, striking U.S. territory directly would represent a major escalation and would carry enormous risks for Tehran.

Iran could instead seek to target American forces and bases in the Middle East, attack Israeli or allied infrastructure, disrupt shipping and energy routes, or use regional partners to widen the conflict.

Whether Moghtadaei’s remarks represent a concrete military threat or primarily an attempt to deter Washington from launching a large-scale attack remains unclear.

If Iran were to follow through with major attacks against U.S. or allied targets, the conflict could rapidly expand across the Middle East, potentially triggering a much broader regional war.

The key question now is whether these threats are intended as deterrence—or a warning of what Tehran is prepared to do if the United States strikes first.