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A top Iranian official has said Iran is prepared to defend itself against any US ground invasion.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: Over the last 72 hours, US officials have provided different signals about whether American troops could be deployed to Iran, with President Donald Trump refusing to rule out putting “boots on the ground” and saying he would consider sending forces if it became necessary. In an interview, Trump said the operation is progressing ahead of schedule but indicated that ground troops remain an option depending on how the conflict develops. At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also declined to rule out a potential deployment, saying it would be “foolish” to publicly limit how far the United States might go militarily. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the possibility of a ground war, with Senator Richard Blumenthal claiming that he was “more fearful than ever” after a classified briefing that the US “may be putting boots on the ground” to “accomplish objectives that the administration seems to have.”

What’s going on now: In a notable development, senior Iranian official Ali Larijani said Iranian forces are ready if American troops enter the country, vowing that the “valiant sons of Imam Khomeini and Imam Khamenei are waiting for you,” and warning they are prepared to “kill and capture thousands” of US soldiers if they cross into Iranian territory. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed that message in an interview, saying Tehran is not intimidated by the possibility of American troops entering the country. “No, we are waiting for them,” Araghchi said, adding that a ground invasion would become a “big disaster” for US forces.

The comments come as Iran’s military has been severely degraded after days of US and Israeli strikes targeting command centers, air defenses, missile sites, and senior leadership. Thousands of targets across the country have been hit, with multiple senior military commanders and key figures killed. These strikes have also disrupted communications and coordination across Iran’s defense apparatus.

Iran has also ruled out talks with the US while the attacks continue. Larijani said earlier this week that Iran would not negotiate with the United States under the current circumstances, while Araghchi accused the US of acting in bad faith by launching strikes while diplomatic talks were underway.