Following reciprocal strikes on Iranian and Qatari gas infrastructure, Donald Trump threatened unprecedented destruction of Iran's South Pars field, while Iranian media mocked his response as a humiliating retreat. International leaders urged de-escalation as Iranian state media amplified claims of internal US dissent and drone sightings over US officials' homes.
US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Israel violently attacked Iran's South Pars gas field out of anger, claiming the US had no prior knowledge and Qatar was completely uninvolved, according to Vahid Online. Trump warned that if Iran continues its unjustified attacks on Qatari LNG facilities, the US will completely blow up the entire South Pars gas field with unprecedented force. However, the IRGC-affiliated Sepah Pasdaran and Khorasan Online framed Trump's message as a humiliating retreat, citing Axios reporter Barak Ravid who reported that top US and Israeli officials confirmed Washington had prior knowledge and approved the strike to pressure Iran.
The diplomatic exchange follows massive Iranian retaliation against regional energy targets. Khorasan Online detailed a complete fireworks display in the region, including attacks on a US refinery in the Red Sea, gas lines in Libya, the Saudi-Bahrain bridge, and vital energy arteries in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. International leaders quickly weighed in. French President Emmanuel Macron called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure, drawing sharp criticism from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who according to IRNA condemned Macron's silence when Israel bombed Tehran's fuel tanks and exposed millions to toxic substances. Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi argued that the US has lost control of its foreign policy to Israel, urging American allies to help pull Washington out of an illegal war with Iran, as highlighted by Akharin Twiit.
Domestic US fallout is also being heavily promoted by Iranian state media. Sepah Pasdaran and Vatan-e Emrooz amplified claims by Joseph Kent, the reportedly resigned director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, who alleged that conservative activist Charlie Kirk was suddenly assassinated in public after privately pleading with Trump to avoid war with Iran and reconsider ties with Israel. Kent claimed his investigation into the matter was shut down. Furthermore, Iranian media cited Washington Post reports of unidentified surveillance drones swarming the military base residences of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, prompting relocation discussions.
Domestically, the Iranian judiciary executed three individuals on Thursday morning for their involvement in the January 2026 riots. According to IRNA, the men were hanged for murdering two police officers and carrying out operational acts for Israel and the hostile US government. Meanwhile, the Social Security Organization announced the successful payment of end-of-year Esfand pensions to over 5.1 million retirees.
The Iranian state-affiliated sources prominently feature highly specific narratives designed to portray internal US chaos (such as the unverified claim regarding Charlie Kirk's assassination and the US losing control to Israel). Additionally, there is a clear strategic effort by the IRGC channels to highlight contradictions between Donald Trump's public statements and Axios/WSJ reporting, framing the lack of further Israeli strikes on South Pars as a victory born of Iranian military deterrence.