Iran is preparing plans for a dramatically expanded military response if the United States launches another major attack against the Islamic Republic, with American interests around the world and countries assisting Washington potentially targeted, according to a Reuters report citing senior Iranian officials.

Three senior Iranian officials and another source familiar with security discussions told Reuters that Tehran’s military leadership is preparing for a response that would extend well beyond Iranian territory and the immediate Middle East.

According to the report, Iranian officials have decided that another response would not be merely symbolic and are considering a significantly expanded list of potential targets, including U.S. interests outside the Middle East and countries that provide logistical or military assistance to American operations.

The discussions have reportedly intensified since Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian returned from last week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters that operational instructions have already been passed to Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, ordering them to prepare for the possibility of a coordinated multi-front response.

The preparations reportedly envision potential operations stretching “from the Strait of Hormuz to American assets and interests in the region and beyond.”

Hamid Reza Azizi, a senior Iran researcher at the International Crisis Group, told Reuters that Tehran remains uncertain whether President Donald Trump would order a broad military campaign or more limited strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.

However, Azizi said Iran appears determined to respond more aggressively than it has previously.

“They appear determined to escalate in hopes of re-establishing the deterrence equation,” he said.

At the same time, Tehran has continued attempting to maintain diplomatic channels as it struggles under mounting economic pressure, including restrictions that have severely affected its ability to export oil.

According to the report, Iran recently submitted a proposal through Qatari mediators calling for a seven-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. In exchange, Tehran sought relief from restrictions on its ports, access to at least $12 billion in frozen Iranian funds and exemptions from oil sanctions.

President Trump rejected the proposal, according to the report, while Washington continues to demand that any broader agreement address Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran has rejected demands that it dismantle the program.

Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute, said continued economic pressure could further destabilize the regime and increase the danger of military escalation.

Iranian leaders are also reportedly concerned about renewed domestic unrest as the country faces severe economic difficulties.

The regime has intensified its crackdown ahead of the anniversary of major protests that erupted amid the economic crisis. According to reports by the United Nations and Amnesty International cited in the report, thousands have been detained amid allegations of torture and a sharp increase in executions.

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