Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has invoked the writings of medieval Persian historian Abolfazl Beyhaqi to warn the US against underestimating Iran amid renewed military threats from President Donald Trump.

In a post published on X on Friday, marking Commemoration Day and National Persian Prose Day, Baqaei drew parallels between the historian’s account of a fortress defended by lions and the danger of underestimating Iran’s capacity to resist foreign aggression.

“From their fortress, laughter had arisen, and they sent Okar with a banner and three hundred horsemen to the fortress gate, thinking that once Okar arrived there, in due time, the fortress would fall to them, whether by war or by peace, so they could raise the banner of manhood atop the fortress walls,” Baghaei quoted from Beyhaqi’s historical account.

In the historical episode, Okar is the commander dispatched with 300 horsemen to capture the fortress. Confident of success, the advancing force expects to seize the stronghold through military action or a peaceful surrender and raise its banner above the walls as a symbol of victory.

However, the attackers are unaware that lions dwell inside the fortress. The lions symbolize the formidable strength and ferocity of its defenders, underscoring the danger of underestimating an opponent whose true capabilities have not been fully understood.

In the context of Baghaei’s message, Okar’s significance lies in the assumption of military superiority where the attackers believe that their arrival and display of force will be enough to bring the fortress under their control.

“And yet, ‘assumption can err and hit the mark!’ And they were unaware that there lions dwell,” he continued.

“They thought they had come for a feast of pure delight, and that the task would be an easy one!” the Iranian spokesman added, using the historical passage to challenge expectations of an easy military victory over Iran.

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Beyhaqi, an 11th-century Persian historian and court official under the Ghaznavid dynasty, is best known for his historical chronicle, Tarikh-e Beyhaqi, widely regarded as a major work of classical Persian prose.

Baghaei’s message comes amid renewed US threats against Iran, with Trump saying on October 16 that Washington might need to strike Kuh-e Kolang mountain.

The US president has also warned that he could resume the aggression if negotiations fail, while US military commanders have reportedly been instructed to prepare options for possible renewed strikes.

On Sunday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi directly challenged Trump’s threat to “finish the job,” writing on X: “Last time you wanted to ‘finish the job,’ Iran emerged even stronger. Want to try your luck again? Be our guest. But be careful; we have unfinished jobs too.”

Also on Sunday, Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Ali Abdollahi warned Washington and Tel Aviv against further “miscalculation,” declaring that previous attempts to overthrow or destroy Iran failed and that the country remains standing despite the attacks.