By Amjad Qaimkhani
TEHRAN/WASHINGTON:
Tensions between Iran and the United States escalated sharply after a senior adviser to Iran’s parliamentary speaker issued a stark warning to US President Donald Trump, claiming he had “20 hours” to surrender before facing severe consequences.
Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to the Speaker of Iran’s parliament, said in a message that if Trump failed to comply, Iran would respond in a way that would send his allies “back to the stone age”. He asserted that Iran had already won the war and would not retreat under any circumstances.
The remarks came in response to earlier statements by Trump, who had warned of overwhelming military action against Iran. The US president said Washington had the capability to completely destroy Iran “in a single night” and suggested such an operation could take place as early as Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, political tensions also rose within the United States. Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari announced plans to introduce articles of impeachment against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Ansari said she was preparing a bill seeking Hegseth’s impeachment, arguing that the authority to declare war rests solely with Congress and not with the president or his inner circle. She added that putting American troops at risk without proper authorisation was sufficient grounds for impeachment.
The exchange of threats and political fallout reflects a rapidly intensifying crisis, with fears growing that any miscalculation could trigger a wider regional conflict with global implications.
