Updated
Satellite imagery and reports from outlets including CNBC, WSJ, Reuters, Times of Israel and ISIS indicate Iran is significantly reinforcing defenses at nuclear facilities, including sites bombed earlier in the year, as it braces for possible renewed US strikes after the November midterms. President Trump said a decision on Iran was coming 'very soon' and referenced a potential strike on an Iranian site dubbed 'Pickaxe Mountain,' while Secretary of State Rubio said Tehran had missed 'multiple' chances for a nuclear deal. Iranian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei and Deputy FM Kazem Gharibabadi, vowed Iran would use 'all capabilities' to repel aggression and warned that any new US attack would have 'far-reaching consequences,' while also insisting Iran remains open to diplomacy based on 'realistic proposals.' Iranian officials have also privately hinted at potential incursions into neighboring countries if strikes resume, and President Pezeshkian warned the current war is more dangerous than past conflicts, urging the public to brace for economic strain. AEOI chief Mohammad Eslami claimed Iran had reached a nuclear capability level on par with developed nations, underscoring Tehran's defiant posture amid the standoff.