Tehran/Washington, 21 September (H.S.): Iran has claimed that the United States is planning to attack it and warned that Washington would face a full-scale response if it does so. Meanwhile, fighting has intensified in Yemen. US President Donald Trump may be prepared to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New York.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the operational command headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces, issued a stern warning, saying that if the United States or its allies in the Middle East make any mistake, they will face deadly attacks.

According to reports by Al Jazeera, CBS News and Fox News, US President Donald Trump said he had only three options regarding the war. The first was to completely eliminate Iran; the second was to economically devastate the country; and the third was to reach an agreement with Iran.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani responded by saying that the Gulf region needs a framework based on respect for sovereignty, under which no country poses a threat to another.

Meanwhile, four people have reportedly been killed in Yemen’s Al-Jawf province, where fighting between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed forces has intensified.

Government forces are conducting military operations on several fronts, mainly across northern and western areas. One of the most important and fiercest fronts is along the western coast, stretching across the mountain range from the western rural areas of Taiz to Lahj. Government forces are engaged in heavy clashes with Houthi rebels in these areas.

In the interior regions, neither side has made any significant gains, making it difficult to determine whether either force has established a clear advantage.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said that the Saudi Air Force had carried out 28 airstrikes across Yemen over the previous 24 hours. Saree said the strikes targeted the provinces of Taiz, Al-Jawf and Marib. He added that the Saudi-led coalition had carried out at least 760 airstrikes since tensions recently escalated.

Meanwhile, Mark Fifle, a Republican strategist and former White House and National Security Department official, said that, in addition to mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan, China could help advance talks between Tehran and Washington.

He said, “The meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the United States in the coming week could be important. President Trump may be prepared to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.”

Pezeshkian is expected to travel to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. Trump may also be open to meeting Pezeshkian in New York amid the continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Amid US warnings of rising tensions in the Middle East, CIA Director John Ratcliffe held a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi during a special visit to Cairo on Sunday.

The Egyptian presidency said that Egypt’s intelligence chief, Hassan Rashad, also attended the meeting. Discussions covered Iran, the Gaza Strip and the ongoing war in Sudan, as well as attacks on Gulf countries and threats to maritime security.

The meeting came days after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Egyptian President el-Sissi in Cairo. The two leaders called for safe maritime navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The US State Department on Saturday warned Americans against travelling to areas affected by the conflict. The advisory said that the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis had intensified and warned that the military confrontation could escalate rapidly.

Ratcliffe’s visit to Cairo came against the backdrop of growing regional tensions and concerns over the security of vital maritime routes.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar