Iran has warned that any renewed military strikes by the United States and Israel could trigger a broader conflict extending beyond the Middle East, following fresh threats from US President Donald Trump that military action may resume if Tehran fails to agree to a deal.
The warning came on Wednesday, weeks after an April 8 ceasefire halted the recent confrontation that had shaken global markets and heightened tensions across the Gulf region. Although the truce ended open hostilities, diplomatic and verbal clashes have continued, with both Washington and Tehran exchanging threats while pursuing indirect talks.
The United States president has repeatedly suggested that military strikes against Iran remain an option, while Iranian officials have vowed severe retaliation if attacks resume. Despite the rhetoric, both countries have maintained diplomatic engagements through talks reportedly mediated by Pakistan, aimed at securing a formal resolution to the crisis.
On Tuesday, US Vice President JD Vance said progress was being made in the negotiations, adding that Washington would continue diplomatic efforts even as the US military remained prepared for possible action.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, however, issued a sharp warning, saying any renewed aggression would provoke a promised regional war that would spread far beyond the Middle East.
In a statement published on Sepah News, the Guards declared that despite the recent attacks carried out by the United States and Israel, Iran had not yet deployed the full extent of its military capabilities.
Iranian state media also reported that Pakistan’s interior minister was expected in Tehran for a second visit in less than a week, signalling continued diplomatic efforts to ease tensions.
Trump, speaking on Tuesday, insisted that the United States held the upper hand in the standoff and claimed Iran was eager to negotiate. He said Tehran was “begging to make a deal” and suggested that another military strike remained possible if talks collapsed.
The US leader is also facing domestic pressure as rising global energy costs begin to impact American consumers.
Although the ceasefire stopped the fighting, it has not led to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass.
The continued closure of the waterway has intensified fears of a prolonged energy crisis, with many countries already relying on emergency stockpiles.
Rising fuel prices have sparked economic strain in several import-dependent nations, including Kenya, where protests broke out over transport disruptions linked to fuel shortages.
Kenyan Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said four people were killed and more than 30 injured during protests on Wednesday, highlighting the wider global impact of the Gulf crisis.
