Pezeshkian: Washington Ended Interim Peace Deal
Tehran claims the US collapsed the truce as Israeli and American elections approach within days.
By Adewale Fletcher ·
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the United States is responsible for the collapse of an interim agreement designed to end the war with the US and Israel. Speaking on Saturday in remarks broadcast by Iranian Press TV, Pezeshkian asserted that Washington caused the unravelling of the pact. Despite the accusation, he called on both nations to return to the negotiations and conclude the deal.
The conflict began on February 28 with opening strikes during which former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was assassinated. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, assumed the position in early March and has not appeared in public since. An interim deal was established to pause the fighting, but tensions have escalated sharply in recent days.
US President Donald Trump suggested on Friday that further military action is possible. He referenced the codename “Epic Fury” for the current war and said he “may do another little Epic Fury.” This comment fueled fears that hostilities could resume as soon as this weekend.
Iran’s military leadership has issued firm warnings in response. Ali Abdollahi, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, declared on Saturday that the US military will not be allowed in the Gulf under any circumstances. He told Trump he could only dream of US forces entering the region and would take that dream to the grave. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also warned via the Fars News Agency that even limited strikes would trigger a response several times greater in scale.
Domestic politics in both countries are influencing the timeline. Israelis are scheduled to vote for their next government on Tuesday. In the United States, the midterm elections are set for November 3. Democrats aim to win control of both the House and Senate, which would deal a major blow to Trump’s final term. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains committed to overthrowing the Iranian government.
Fatemeh Mohajerani, the Iranian government spokesperson, issued a memo on Saturday stating that Tehran does not flee from dialogue but will not hesitate to defend the country. She wrote that those who harbor the illusion of destroying Iran must correct their calculations. Separately, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to discuss corruption and war compensation. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the chief negotiator, met with Khamenei earlier this week.
