Times24.net: Iran warned on Monday (September 21) that the world would be "astonished" by the new weaponry it would deploy if the United States launches fresh military strikes, escalating tensions as Iranian lawmakers moved to withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation pact. The stark warning came amid heightened friction between Washington and Tehran, even as Qatar stepped in to mediate talks aimed at de-escalating the crisis. In Tehran, Iranian legislators introduced a formal bill seeking an exit from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), publicising the push across social media platforms.Security concerns quickly spread to vital commercial sea lanes, with a British maritime agency warning that the threat level in and around the Strait of Hormuz remains "severe". The agency added that independent tracking data indicates significantly fewer vessels are transiting the critical waterway than claimed by the US military.At the same time, regional conflict flared anew in Yemen, where fierce fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in the northern province of al-Jawf left at least four people dead.Against the backdrop of widening friction, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani urged Gulf states to adopt a comprehensive regional security framework. He stressed that lasting stability requires an order in which state sovereignty is respected and no country is permitted to pose a threat to another.
Iran warns US against new strikes amid regional tension
