Iran
A member of the Iranian security forces stands guard next to a banner honoring Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on March 31, 2026. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An Iranian military official said on Saturday that renewed conflict with the United States is “likely,” stressing that Tehran is fully prepared for any confrontation. His remarks come at a critical moment, as talks between Washington and Tehran have largely stalled, with US President Donald Trump warning he could “blast them” if negotiations fail.
“Renewed conflict between Iran and America is likely,” said Mohammed Jafar Asadi, deputy commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, as quoted by Iran’s state news agency. Khatam al-Anbiya oversees the country’s wartime operations.
“The armed forces are fully prepared for any renewed American adventurism and folly,” he added, accusing Washington of adhering to “no pact or agreement.”
Uncertainty continues to surround the fragile, Pakistani-brokered two-week peace agreement between Washington and Tehran, signed on April 8. The deal temporarily halted a war that began in late February and lasted roughly six weeks.
Although Trump extended the agreement on April 21, both sides are reportedly at odds over key demands, clouding prospects for a lasting resolution. Trump said Friday he is “not satisfied” with the latest proposal submitted by Iran through Islamabad.
“They’re asking for things I can’t agree to,” he said.
One of the main sticking points in the talks is the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which roughly 25 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied gas supplies pass.
During the first week of the ceasefire, Trump imposed a naval blockade on the waterway, prompting Iran to respond with restrictions on vessel movement. The blockade has significantly strained Iran’s economy, with dozens of Iranian vessels diverted and around 61 million barrels of crude unable to reach buyers since its enforcement, according to data released by US Central Command on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, data analytics firm Kpler told Rudaw on Thursday that the US blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz has created a bottleneck in the country’s oil inventories and could soon drive its oil revenues to near zero.
The US president has tied lifting the blockade to the conclusion of a comprehensive agreement with Iran.
Tehran, however, has reportedly called for economic relief through lifting the naval restrictions before resolving other contentious issues, particularly its nuclear program.
Iran views its enriched uranium stockpile as a bargaining chip, indicating a willingness to reduce enrichment levels from 60 percent for what it describes as civilian purposes.
The United States has rejected this position, maintaining its demand for “zero enrichment.”
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