Tehran Blames Washington for Interim Pact Collapse

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of breaking the interim agreement that was meant to end the war with the US and Israel. He made the claim in remarks broadcast on Saturday by Iranian Press TV. Pezeshkian stated that both nations should return to the agreement and conclude it.

The war began on February 28. Since then, the two sides have attempted to stabilize the conflict. The interim deal was the most recent framework for peace. Now, that framework has collapsed according to Tehran. Military leaders in Iran are preparing for the possibility of renewed combat.

US President Donald Trump spoke on Friday about the next steps. He said he may do another little Epic Fury. That is the codename for the US-Israeli war against Iran. His comments raised fears that strikes could resume as soon as this weekend. The timing is sensitive for both leaders.

Israel holds elections on Tuesday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains committed to overthrowing the Iranian government. Trump faces midterm elections on November 3. Republicans could lose control of the House and Senate. Such a loss would be a major blow to Trump. He has more than two years left in his term.

Iranian officials issued strong warnings on Saturday. Ali Abdollahi is the chief of staff for the Iranian Armed Forces. He said the US military would not be allowed in the Gulf under any circumstances. He told Trump he could only dream of seeing US forces there. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that even limited strikes would trigger a response several times greater.

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani wrote a memo on Saturday. She said Tehran would not wait for permission to defend itself. Mohajerani stated that Iran seeks peace but will respond to aggression with severe consequences. She added that those who think they can destroy Iran must correct their calculations.

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei met with judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. They discussed corruption and compensation for war victims. Khamenei took office in early March after his father was assassinated. He has not been seen in public since then. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met with Khamenei earlier this week.