Level 1 - Absolute Beginner
Iran and the United States have been in conflict for almost six months. The US wants to put new, strong sanctions on Iran.
A top Iranian official spoke on Iranian television. His name is Mohsen Rezaei.
He said any country that helps the US with sanctions will be seen as an enemy of Iran. He warned of a big, strong response.
At the same time, Egypt asked both Iran and the US to talk and find peace instead of fighting.
- conflict
- a serious disagreement or fight between two sides
- sanctions
- official actions taken to punish a country, often by limiting trade or money
- official
- a person who has an important job in a government
- enemy
- a person or country that is against you
- response
- an action taken because of something that happened
- diplomacy
- talking between countries to solve problems without fighting
- warn
- to tell someone about a possible danger
- neighbor
- a country or place that is near another one
Level 2 - Elementary
Iran has warned that any country joining the United States' economic pressure campaign against it will be treated as an enemy, as the nearly six-month conflict between Iran and the US continues.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, spoke on Iranian state television. He said Iran was appealing to countries around the world, including its neighbors, not to join what he called the US 'economic war.'
"Any country that takes part in imposing economic restrictions on us will be regarded as an enemy," Rezaei said, warning of a seismic response if that happened.
The warning came as Egypt pressed both Tehran and Washington to return to the diplomatic path, and as the US prepared to announce new sanctions after President Trump promised the toughest sanctions in Iran's history.
- campaign
- a planned series of actions to achieve a goal
- secretary
- an official who leads or manages a government department or council
- appeal
- to make a serious request to someone
- restriction
- a rule that limits what someone can do
- regard
- to think of or consider something in a certain way
- seismic
- extremely large or significant, like an earthquake
- press
- to urge someone strongly to do something
- toughest
- the strongest or hardest, most severe
Level 3 - Intermediate
Iran issued a stark warning on Saturday against any nation that joins the United States' intensifying economic pressure campaign, as the nearly six-month conflict between Tehran and Washington showed no sign of resolution.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told the state broadcaster IRIB that Tehran was appealing to countries worldwide, including its immediate neighbors, not to participate in what he termed the US 'economic war.' "Any country that takes part in imposing economic restrictions on us will be regarded as an enemy," he said, warning that Iran's retaliation would be seismic in scale.
The threat came as Egypt worked behind the scenes to press both Tehran and Washington to abandon confrontation and return to the diplomatic path, and as the Trump administration finalized a new round of sanctions it has described as the toughest ever imposed on Iran, aimed at collapsing the government's finances.
Rezaei's remarks reflect Tehran's growing concern that the US pressure campaign could expand beyond bilateral sanctions into a broader coalition effort, at a moment when Iran's economy is already straining under inflation above 80 percent and a currency that has lost roughly a third of its value this year.
- stark
- severe or harsh in a way that is very clear
- intensify
- to become or make something more intense or extreme
- resolution
- a solution or settlement to a problem or dispute
- broadcaster
- an organization that sends out radio or television programs
- participate
- to take part in an activity or event
- retaliation
- an action taken in return for a harmful act
- confrontation
- a hostile or argumentative meeting or situation
- coalition
- a group of countries or people working together for a common purpose
Level 4 - Advanced
Iran issued a pointed warning on Saturday against any nation that aligns itself with Washington's intensifying economic pressure campaign, as a conflict now approaching six months in duration continued to defy resolution despite periodic diplomatic overtures.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told the state broadcaster IRIB that Tehran was appealing to countries across the globe, including its immediate neighbors, to refrain from participating in what he characterized as Washington's 'economic war.' "Any country that takes part in imposing economic restrictions on us will be regarded as an enemy," Rezaei declared, cautioning that Iran's response would be seismic in magnitude.
The admonition surfaced as Egypt worked quietly to press both capitals toward a return to the diplomatic track, even as the Trump administration finalized a fresh sanctions package it has billed as the most severe ever levied against Iran, explicitly designed to erode the government's fiscal capacity.
Rezaei's rhetoric underscores Tehran's mounting apprehension that unilateral American pressure could metastasize into a broader multinational coalition, a prospect that would compound an economy already buckling under inflation exceeding 80 percent and a currency that has shed roughly a third of its value over the course of the year.
- pointed
- clearly directed at a particular target; sharp and deliberate
- defy
- to resist or refuse to yield to something
- overture
- an initial approach or proposal made to open discussion
- admonition
- a firm warning or reprimand
- refrain
- to stop oneself from doing something
- unilateral
- done by one side or party alone, without agreement from others
- metastasize
- to spread or grow rapidly and harmfully
- fiscal
- relating to government revenue, spending, and finances
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