The top diplomats of the United States and Iran engaged in a public exchange over the level of retaliation each country would pursue. Iran's assertion of a 'eye for an eye' principle was met with a stronger U.S. response, described as 'eye for a head.'
On July 23, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with reporters at a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Manila, Philippines, stating, "I saw the Iranian foreign minister say that 'eye for an eye' is their policy. President Trump's policy is 'eye for a head.'" This indicates a willingness to respond to Iranian attacks with even greater force.
Rubio warned, "Iran will pay a very heavy price for its current actions," and claimed that Iran has been seeking negotiations with the U.S. both directly and indirectly.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Our defense principle is clear: an eye for an eye," and warned that any aggression targeting Iran, including infrastructure, would provoke a strong and decisive response.
Following Rubio's comments, Araghchi took to X again to rebut, criticizing some U.S. officials for burying their heads in the sand and focusing solely on the 2028 U.S. presidential election while ignoring reality. He asserted, "The U.S. president wants to achieve results in negotiations with Iran, but due to the reckless attacks of some individuals, they will pay a greater price."
This exchange of words was sparked by President Donald Trump's warning the previous day that he would bomb bridges and power plants in response to Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated on social media platform Truth Social, "Whenever Iran attacks a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, I will destroy one of their bridges or power plants."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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