Pezeshkian Blames Washington for Interim Deal Collapse
Iran’s president urged a return to negotiations on Saturday while military leaders warned that US forces would be barred from the Gulf if fighting resumes.
By Noah Rao ·
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attributed the failure of an interim agreement with the United States and Israel to Washington, stating that both parties should return to the table to finalize the accord. His comments, broadcast by Press TV on Saturday, came as regional tensions rose ahead of potential new military strikes this weekend.
US President Donald Trump suggested on Friday that he might launch another operation, referring to the conflict as "Epic Fury." The campaign began on February 28 with initial strikes that resulted in the death of the previous Supreme Leader. Trump’s statement increased speculation that hostilities could resume within days.
Military officials in Tehran issued firm warnings against American expansion in the region. Ali Abdollahi, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, declared on Saturday that US forces would not be permitted in the Gulf under any circumstances. He described Trump’s expectation of a US military presence in the Gulf as a dream that the American leader would take to the grave.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also warned that any limited attacks by the United States would provoke a response several times greater in intensity, according to reports from the semi-official Fars News Agency. These threats coincide with political shifts in both Washington and Tel Aviv.
Israelis are scheduled to vote for a new government on Tuesday. In the United States, Trump’s Republican Party faces midterm elections on November 3, where Democrats aim to control both chambers of Congress. Such a loss would impact Trump, who has more than two years remaining in his current term.
Fatemeh Mohajerani, the Iranian government spokesperson, wrote in a memo that Tehran would not wait for permission to defend itself. She stated that while the country seeks peace, it will respond to aggression with severe consequences. Mohajerani added that those seeking to destroy Iran must correct their calculations.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since early March, met with judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei on Saturday. The two discussed corruption and compensation for citizens affected by the war. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the chief negotiator, was reported to have met with Khamenei earlier in the week.
Source: Al Jazeera
