Iran issued an Iran war warning on Sunday, saying any renewed war with the United States could last longer than the previous fighting. The warning came as President Donald Trump said US forces still had targets to strike ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections.
According to SCMP (Hong Kong), Iran’s army spokesman, Mohammad Akraminia, said a potential future war could last longer than the previous conflict. He also said the US president would not dictate its timing or conclusion.
France 24 reported that Trump said the US still had to “take care of” one or two sites, adding that “we can do that in 10 minutes.” He named Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground nuclear complex.
Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said “in a conflict with America, there are no geographical limitations,” according to state television, France 24 reported.
Diplomacy is also continuing. Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, said he had received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance seeking to revive talks, and that he had yet to respond, according to France 24.
Iran’s conditions for talks include unfreezing overseas assets, ending the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, lifting sanctions and ending the war on all fronts, France 24 reported. UAE diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash said the UAE hoped for a diplomatic breakthrough but was “braced for the worst,” according to the same report.
The war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the region, and Iran-aligned groups joined the fighting in Lebanon and Yemen. Iran has claimed control of the Strait of Hormuz, and the US has imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
Axios, citing US and Israeli officials, reported that Trump and Netanyahu discussed Iran on a Saturday call. Axios reported that Netanyahu pressed for strikes immediately after the midterms. The account comes from anonymous officials and has not been independently confirmed.
Several gaps remain. The sources do not report a US response to Iran’s warnings or to the Vance letter. No Israeli government statement on the call or on strike plans is included. Japan Times was available only as a headline and short excerpt, so its claim that Gulf states fear fiercer retaliation could not be verified. A Trump remark about finishing the job appears only in that excerpt and is not confirmed by other sources.
Diplomatic efforts continue as the midterm elections take place on Tuesday. Trump has threatened to give Tehran “the hammer” at an unspecified time. Netanyahu reportedly wants strikes after the vote.
Sources
This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.