Iran's president says US broke truce

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian placed the blame for the collapse of the interim peace deal squarely on Washington. Speaking in remarks broadcast on Saturday by Iranian Press TV, he argued that the United States was responsible for the unravelling of the agreement designed to end the war with the US and Israel.

Despite the accusation, Pezeshkian called for both sides to return to the negotiating table to "conclude" the pact. His comments arrive as fears grow that military action could resume as soon as this weekend. The tension follows a statement made by US President Donald Trump on Friday, in which he said he "may do another little Epic Fury." That phrase refers to the codename of the US-Israeli war against Iran, which began on February 28.

The threat of renewed conflict has prompted strong responses from Iranian military and political figures. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that even limited strikes would trigger a response "several times greater," according to the semi-official Fars News Agency. Ali Abdollahi, the Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, declared on Saturday that US forces would not be allowed into the Gulf "under any circumstances and at any time." He told Trump he could only "dream" of such an entry and would take that dream to the grave.

Political pressures in both Washington and Jerusalem are influencing the situation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains committed to overthrowing the Iranian government. Israelis will choose their next government on Tuesday, while Trump’s Republican Party faces midterm elections on November 3. Democrats have the potential to win control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, an outcome that would deal a major blow to Trump, who has more than two years left in his final term.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, the Iranian government spokesperson, stated on Saturday that Tehran would not "wait for permission to defend itself." In a memo, she wrote that the country "seeks peace but will respond to any aggression with severe consequences." She added, "Our position is clear: we do not flee from dialogue for peace, and we do not hesitate in defending the country. Those who harbour the illusion of destroying Iran must correct their calculations."

Behind the scenes, senior Iranian officials have been coordinating their strategy. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the Iranian judiciary chief, met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to discuss tackling corruption and pursuing compensation for those affected by the war. Khamenei, who replaced his father as supreme leader after the latter was assassinated during the opening strikes on February 28, has not been seen in public since assuming the position in early March. Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was reported to have met Khamenei earlier this week.