In a tense escalation, Iran has cautioned that it will unveil “new strategies” if the current cease-fire is not prolonged and hostilities resume, while former President Trump has issued a stark warning that “numerous bombs” could be deployed if a peace agreement is not reached.
Mohammed-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, announced on Monday that the nation has been “preparing” during the cease-fire. He criticized Trump, who reiterated his threat to target Iranian infrastructure should negotiations fail.
Ghalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation in Islamabad last week, stated on social media platform X, “Trump aims to transform this negotiating table—through his own tactics—into one of capitulation or to justify renewed military aggression by imposing a blockade and breaching the ceasefire.”
He further asserted, “We reject negotiations conducted under duress, and in the past weeks, we have been preparing to introduce new strategies on the ground.”
Although Iran has not officially confirmed whether it will dispatch a negotiation team to Islamabad, Pakistan, for peace discussions with the United States, reports from the Wall Street Journal suggest that regional intermediaries have been informed of a delegation’s potential arrival in the Pakistani capital.
In a related development, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized Washington during conversations with his Pakistani and Russian counterparts, following the U.S. military’s seizure of the cargo vessel Touska.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported a delegation from Tehran would only attend talks if the US met certain preconditions.
But, the clock is ticking, with President Trump telling Bloomberg the cease-fire will end “Wednesday evening Washington time.”
Trump said it’s “highly unlikely” the cease-fire will be extended if there’s no agreement.
The commander-in-chief told PBS Monday “Then lots of bombs start going off” in response to a question asking about the next steps in a no-deal scenario.
Trump reiterated that Iran cannot have the capability to develop a nuclear weapon.
“No nuclear weapons. Very simple,” he said.
But, despite the ticking clock, Trump told The Post he “will not be rushed” into ending the conflict.
“I have only been in this for five weeks. I will not be rushed,” he said.
The war is now in its 53rd day despite Trump previously claiming he expected the operation would last “four weeks or so,” one day after the US-Israel assault began on Feb. 28.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973, which the White House argues is unconstitutional, says the president must receive congressional approval for conflicts lasting longer than 60 days.
Last week, the House of Representatives defeated a resolution 213-214 requiring Trump to withdraw forces from the war unless Congress backs military action.
Kentucky lawmaker Thomas Massie was the only GOP politician to cross party lines and vote for the measure.
