Iran threatens US bases as Trump rejects Hormuz proposal

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned on September 26 that American bases and interests across the Middle East could face sustained strikes if Washington launches new military action against Iran. The warning came as President Donald Trump confirmed he had rejected an Iranian proposal for a seven-day de-escalation process linked to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian military statement, carried by the semi-official Mehr news agency, said US deployment centers and interests in the region would be targets if Washington “makes a mistake.” It described the region as being at a sensitive point for security and said Iran was prepared to defend its territory. The statement is a threat of retaliation, not a report that attacks on those sites have begun.

Trump told reporters on Saturday that he had turned down Tehran’s plan. He argued that US pressure and a blockade of Iranian ports had left Iran under severe financial strain. The president did not announce a replacement agreement or a timetable for further negotiations in those remarks.

The dispute over Hormuz

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had presented the proposal during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. It was conveyed to the United States through Qatar, according to accounts of the diplomatic exchange. Tehran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume talks if Washington reduced military pressure, lifted its naval blockade and eased restrictions affecting Iran’s oil exports and frozen funds.

The proposed talks could also cover the nuclear issue. The two sides, however, have given no indication of an agreed sequence for ending the fighting or restoring normal passage through the waterway. Trump’s rejection left the Iranian offer without US acceptance, while Iranian officials continued to press for a formal response through mediators.

The threat from Khatam al-Anbiya addresses any fresh US strike and extends the potential targets beyond a single installation. The headquarters is Iran’s principal joint operational command in wartime. Its statement did not identify a particular American base, provide evidence of a US decision to attack, or set a deadline for action.

US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott separately said the diplomatic channel remained open, according to Al Jazeera. That position followed Trump’s rejection of the specific Iranian offer. Tehran’s military command, meanwhile, framed additional American force as a trigger for prolonged retaliation against US positions and interests across the region.