Iran claims US broke truce as new strikes loom

The interim agreement designed to stop the war between Iran and the United States has collapsed, according to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. He placed the blame for the breakdown on Washington. His remarks come as military observers fear new combat operations could begin as early as this weekend.

Pezeshkian made the comments in an interview broadcast by Iranian Press TV on Saturday. He stated that both nations should return to the table to conclude the agreement. The war began on February 28 under the codename Epic Fury. US President Donald Trump referenced that name on Friday when he suggested he might launch another small attack.

Iran’s military leadership has responded with strong warnings. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, said any limited strike would trigger a response several times greater in scale. This assessment was reported by the semi-official Fars News Agency. Ali Abdollahi, the chief of staff for the Iranian armed forces, added that US forces would not be allowed into the Gulf. He told Trump he could only dream of such an invasion.

Political pressure is mounting on the leaders involved in the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains his goal of overthrowing the Iranian government. Israeli voters will select their next government on Tuesday. In the United States, the Republican Party faces midterm elections on November 3. Democrats could take control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in that vote.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, the Iranian government spokesperson, said Tehran would not wait for permission to defend itself. She wrote in a memo that the country seeks peace but will respond to aggression with severe consequences. She emphasized that Iran does not flee from dialogue but will not hesitate to defend the nation.

Senior Iranian officials are coordinating on the war's domestic impact. Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday. They discussed tackling corruption and securing compensation for citizens affected by the war. Khamenei assumed the role in early March after his father was assassinated during the opening strikes on February 28. He has not appeared in public since taking office. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the chief negotiator, also met with Khamenei earlier in the week.