DUBAI, January 31. /TASS/. Tehran is not looking for war but reserves the right to respond to damage done to its interests, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Dehghan said, commenting on threats from US officials.

"Our message to the US, Israel and all their allies is that we aren’t looking for war. However, if our enemies are stupid and seek to damage Iran’s interests, our hands won’t be tied to protect ourselves," Dehghan stated in an interview with Iran’s Jamaran news agency.

According to him, "the US position is not clear to the US itself, which means that the threats aren’t clear as well." He added that "Iran is a strong power" that "does not seek escalation."

On January 28, the US Central Command said that a drone attack by pro-Iranian groups had killed three US service members and wounded 34. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pledged to "respond at a time and place of our choosing." The Al Hadath TV channel reported that the strike had hit the T-22 site near a US military camp for troops assisting Jordan in fortifying the border. On January 29, US Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican of South Carolina) called on the Washington administration to carry out strikes on targets inside Iran.