Iranian military, officials step up rhetoric as prospects for US deal remain unclear

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - If the US-Israeli “aggression” against Iran is resumed, the Iranian military could expand the conflict “beyond the region,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned on Wednesday. The remarks came amid a wave of sharp statements from Iranian officials, who have signalled heightened expectations of a possible resumption of hostilities.

“Although they [United States and Israel] attacked us with the full capabilities of two armies, the most expensive in the world, we did not deploy all the capacities of the Islamic revolution against them,” the IRGC said in a statement, warning that “if aggression against Iran is repeated, the regional war… will this time be extended beyond the region.”

“We are men of war, and you will see our power on the battlefield, not in hollow statements or social media pages,” the IRGC added.


Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had also remarked that “with lessons learned and knowledge we gained, return to war will feature many more surprises.”

Similarly, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf warned, in an audio message addressed to the Iranian people on Wednesday, that the US-Israeli “enemy has not given up its military objectives and is seeking a new round of war and fresh adventurism.”

“In the face of such a plan, we must shatter the enemy’s miscalculations by enhancing our preparedness for a powerful and effective response to any possible attacks, and by increasing our economic resilience, thereby disappointing the enemy’s hope for Iran’s surrender,” Ghalibaf added.

The sharp rhetoric by Iranian officials comes a day after US Vice President JD Vance reiterated on Tuesday that “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” adding that President Donald Trump had instructed the American negotiating team to “aggressively negotiate with the Iranians.”
While noting that significant progress had been made and that “the Iranians want to make a deal,” Vance warned that “option B” is still on the table, referring to the possibility of restarting a military campaign “to achieve US objectives.”

For his part, Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he was “an hour away from making the decision [to strike Iran] to go today,” warning that he could make the decision again within “two or three days” if a deal does not materialize.

A day earlier, the US president said he would “hold off” on attacking Iran at the request of three Gulf state leaders: the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud; and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump added, however, that he had instructed US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Daniel Caine, and the US military to remain prepared to carry out a “full-scale, large-scale assault on Iran at a moment’s notice” if “an acceptable deal is not reached.” 

The US and Israel launched a large-scale aerial campaign against Iran in late February, striking thousands of targets across the country during six weeks of hostilities.

In response, Iran carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets - particularly in Gulf Arab states - as well as launching retaliatory attacks against Israel.

The warring sides agreed to a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire on April 8 to temporarily halt fighting and initiate negotiations. Although the first round of talks in Islamabad on April 11 ended without a final agreement, a second round has yet to take place, and a comprehensive resolution remains elusive.

In parallel with the diplomatic efforts, Iran and the US have engaged in tit-for-tat maritime measures. Tehran has tightened its grip on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington initiated a maritime blockade on Iranian ports on April 13.

The IRGC on Wednesday said that “in the past 24 hours, the Public Relations Department of the IRGC Navy reported that 26 vessels - comprising oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial ships - transited through the Strait of Hormuz with the coordination and protection of the IRGC Navy.” 

“Transit through the Strait of Hormuz is conducted only after receiving permission and in coordination with the IRGC Navy,” the Corps added.

For its part, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that as of Wednesday, “U.S. forces have redirected 90 ships and disabled 4 to ensure compliance,” affirming that “American forces enforce the maritime blockade against Iran.”