Iran Cautions War Could Drag On After Trump Threatens Military Strikes

With fresh threats of airstrikes hanging over the region, Iran is warning that any new war with the United States could drag on far longer than the last — a sharp rebuttal to President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington can finish off remaining targets in minutes.

Diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East war have been punctuated by repeated threats from the US and Israel to resume bombardments as they hold crucial elections.

“A potential future war could last longer than previous conflict, and the American president would not be in a position to dictate the timing or the conditions of its conclusion,” said army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia, according to Iranian state television.

In the most intense phase of the war, which began on 28 February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the region. Iran-aligned armed groups joined the fighting in Lebanon and Yemen.

Mr Akraminia’s comments came after Mr Trump suggested the US still has unfinished business inside Iran — and the ability to act quickly.

“We still have to take care of, I would say one or two sites, but we can do that in 10 minutes,” Trump told reporters.

“You probably could look at Pickaxe Mountain, and you have to take care of that. We can do that all very quickly,” he added, referring to a suspected underground nuclear complex.

Mr Trump said that the US has knocked out much of Iran’s military but still has to “take care of” one or two targets

US media reported that Mr Trump had held a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday over whether and when to ramp up combat operations against Iran.

Axios quoted one US and one Israeli official saying the two leaders discussed the state of negotiations with the Islamic republic, with Mr Netanyahu pressing the president to strike Iran immediately after Tuesday’s US midterm elections and Mr Trump eager to let negotiations play out.

The Israeli source described the call as “tough”, while the US source said it was “direct”, according to Axios.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump confirmed he had discussed Iran with Mr Netanyahu, but would not elaborate.

‘No geographical limitations’

Senior military and political figures in Iran have also issued warnings against any renewed attack.

Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi repeated a message delivered the day before by Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, underscoring Tehran’s readiness to widen the fight.

“In a conflict with America, there are no geographical limitations; a vast theatre has been defined for inflicting damage upon the enemy,” Mr Mohebbi said, according to state television.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: “We hope the other side will exercise rationality and choose diplomacy,” adding that Iran “remains prepared for both defence and diplomacy”, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

The latest warnings came as Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei said on Saturday that he had received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance aimed at restarting talks.

Mr Rezaei said he detected what he described as a more positive US “tone”, but added he had not yet replied.

He said Tehran had previously told Washington that unless its demands were met, “neither would the Strait of Hormuz be reopened nor would there be any negotiations”.

Those conditions include unfreezing Iranian assets abroad, ending the months-long US naval blockade of Iranian ports, lifting longstanding sanctions and ending the war on all fronts.

Since the war began, Iran has claimed control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy conduit, and repeatedly targeted vessels attempting to cross without its authorisation.

The US has imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.

‘Braced for the worst’

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the Emirati president, said the United Arab Emirates was looking for a diplomatic opening — while preparing for escalation.

“We’re hoping that there is a diplomatic breakthrough,” he told a conference in Manama.

“It is not the interest of the region to go through another round… But I think we’re also, as we’ve shown before, braced for the worst.”

In Tehran, some residents said the growing talk of renewed fighting has left them feeling powerless.

“The news coming in is truly worrying. However… there is nothing I can actually do about it,” Mohadese, a 27-year-old health inspector, told AFP.

Others, like 48-year-old vendor Ebrahim, dismissed the threats as nothing new.

“We do not fear another war; we have been at war for 48 years now – we are always at war,” he said in downtown Tehran.

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