TEHRAN - Iran will treat any attack “as an all-out war against us,” a senior Iranian official said on Jan 23, ahead of the arrival of a US military aircraft carrier strike group and other assets in the Middle East in the coming days. 

“This military buildup - we hope it is not intended for real confrontation - but our military is ready for the worst-case scenario. This is why everything is on high alert in Iran,” said the senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity.