US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to launch devastating military strikes against Iran if Tehran attempts to assassinate him, while Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to avenge the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the latest escalation threatening to derail already fragile US-Iran diplomacy.
The exchange came as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travelled to Oman for talks aimed at rescuing negotiations after a week of renewed hostilities over the Strait of Hormuz. The United States has also demanded that Iran publicly commit to keeping the strategic waterway open to commercial shipping and stop attacks on vessels, warning of consequences if it refuses.
The renewed rhetoric follows days of US airstrikes on Iranian targets and Iranian retaliatory attacks on Gulf states after Tehran targeted commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting President Trump to declare the US-Iran ceasefire “over” while keeping the door open for further negotiations.
Trump: ‘1,000 missiles are locked and loaded’
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump warned Iran against carrying out any assassination attempt against him.
“1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!”
1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President… pic.twitter.com/yLEOjxQSPg
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) July 11, 2026
Trump added that the US military was prepared to launch overwhelming retaliation.
“Orders have already been given… the U.S. Military is ready, willing, and able… to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran — PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!”
The remarks came days after US media reported that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington alleging Iran had recently discussed a possible assassination plot targeting Trump.
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During Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral earlier this week, mourners carried banners calling for the deaths of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mojtaba Khamenei vows revenge
Hours after Trump’s warning, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei publicly vowed to avenge the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in US-Israeli strikes earlier this year.
Speaking in remarks broadcast by Iranian state television, Mojtaba said: “The revenge for my father’s blood is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out.”
Our nation seeks to take revenge for the blood of Hussain (pbuh).
— Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei (@MKhamenei_ir) July 11, 2026
The statement marked one of his strongest public comments since succeeding his father following months of war between Iran, the United States and Israel.
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The competing demands
Stop the attacks on ships
Keep the strait under its control
Open all Hormuz shipping lanes
Claims sole authority over navigation
Toll-free passage through Hormuz
Wants to charge ships transit fees
Hand over enriched uranium
Refuses to give up its uranium
Continue nuclear talks
Wants sanctions relief
Warns of military action
Warns of retaliation
Talks via Oman and Qatar are under way
A deal — or deeper conflict — hangs in the balance.
Positions as reported by AP, NPR, Al Jazeera and CNN, citing officials on both sides. Hormuz is widely treated as an international waterway; Iran’s claim to control it is contested.
How the ceasefire collapsed
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June
The US and Iran sign a memorandum of understanding to end their war.
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This week
Iran attacks three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
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In response
The US launches two nights of retaliatory airstrikes on Iran.
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Then
Iran fires back at US-linked targets across the Gulf region.
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Friday
Trump declares the ceasefire “over,” while saying talks will continue.
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Saturday
Oman and Qatar mediation begins; Iran’s FM travels to Muscat.
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Saturday
Trump warns the US could “decimate and destroy all areas of Iran” — a threat he ties to any attempt to assassinate him.
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Saturday
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei — son of the slain Ali Khamenei — vows to avenge his father’s killing.
Quotes are as reported (Trump on Truth Social; Khamenei via Iranian state TV). Ali Khamenei was killed in the Feb 28 strikes and buried this week. A developing story.
Sources: Associated Press · NPR · Al Jazeera · CNN · ABC News. Statements attributed to officials and leaders on both sides; a developing story.
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Hormuz crisis dominates Oman talks
The latest confrontation comes as diplomatic efforts continue in Oman to prevent the collapse of negotiations.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travelled to Muscat on Saturday for talks with Omani officials, a day after Qatari mediators met Iranian leaders in Tehran.
The Strait of Hormuz remains the central sticking point. The Trump administration has demanded that Iran publicly declare that all shipping lanes through the strait will remain open and that commercial vessels will no longer be targeted.
US officials have argued that Tehran’s attacks on merchant ships violated the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries last month and raised doubts about Iran’s willingness to implement any future nuclear agreement.
Iran, however, continues to insist that the strategic waterway should remain under its control and has argued that ships transiting the strait should pay fees to Tehran.
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Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said Friday that any decision on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz “rests exclusively with Iran.”
Iran accuses US of violating interim deal
Ahead of the Oman talks, Araghchi accused Washington of breaching the interim agreement by revoking waivers that had allowed Iran to sell crude oil in US dollars. “Reality check: There can only be mutual compliance,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Washington ended the waivers following Iran’s attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed optimism that diplomacy could still succeed, saying he believed a solution could emerge from the weekend negotiations.
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US says nuclear deal hinges on uranium and Hormuz
Senior US officials said Washington would not finalise any nuclear agreement unless Iran first halted attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
They also reiterated that any future agreement would require Tehran to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium — a longstanding US demand that Iran has repeatedly rejected.
Officials warned that if diplomacy failed, Washington retained military options to ensure Iran could not regain access to the enriched uranium believed to be stored at nuclear sites previously struck by US forces.
Fresh strikes deepen uncertainty
The diplomatic push follows one of the most dangerous weeks since the US-Iran war began.
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The latest fighting erupted after Iran targeted commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting two rounds of US strikes against Iranian military infrastructure. Iran retaliated by launching attacks against US-linked targets in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan.
Iran’s Health Ministry said at least 17 people were killed and 115 wounded during the latest US strikes.
Despite the renewed violence, both Washington and Tehran have indicated they remain willing to continue negotiations, though the exchange of threats and disagreements over Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear programme continue to cast doubt over whether a broader agreement can still be reached.
(With inputs from agencies)
