A senior Iranian military official declared Tuesday that a resumption of war with the United States is "inevitable," as negotiations between Tehran and Washington over a lasting end to hostilities in the Middle East appear to be stalling.
The statement marks a significant escalation in tone at a critical moment in diplomacy © Mena Today
A senior Iranian military official declared Tuesday that a resumption of war with the United States is "inevitable," as negotiations between Tehran and Washington over a lasting end to hostilities in the Middle East appear to be stalling.
"The United States demands our total capitulation, and the Iranian nation will never capitulate," said Mohammad Jafar Assadi, a deputy commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya joint command.
"Without capitulation, war is inevitable. So we are waiting, and war does not frighten us," he added, according to remarks carried by Iranian state television IRIB.
The statement marks a significant escalation in tone at a critical moment in diplomacy. While negotiators from both sides have been engaged in discussions aimed at ending the conflict that erupted on February 28, the gap between Washington's demands, including the dismantlement of Iran's nuclear programme and the permanent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — and Tehran's red lines remains wide.
Assadi's remarks suggest that hardliners within Iran's military establishment are pushing back against any deal they perceive as surrender, and are willing to say so publicly, even as diplomats attempt to find common ground.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot declared Tuesday that "nothing can justify" Israel's continued military operations and prolonged presence in Lebanon, conveniently ignoring the fundamental reason Israel is there in the first place.
Lebanon announced a partial ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel on Monday in what would amount to a limited de-escalation of a conflict that has killed thousands of people and inflamed the broader U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nassar has launched a pointed attack on Hezbollah, accusing the Iran-backed group of undermining Lebanon's ability to conduct meaningful negotiations with Israel and dragging the country into wars its people never chose.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
