Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Tuesday that Tehran is defending its borders but is not seeking to expand the scope of the war, according to Iranian state media cited by Reuters.
اضافة اعلان
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed that negotiations with Iran are ongoing, despite Tehran's earlier denials, describing the talks as the final opportunity for Iranian officials to reach an agreement.
Iran had denied holding any talks with the United States just hours after Trump announced that negotiations would resume on Monday—a move that angered the U.S. President, who subsequently reiterated his ultimatum forcing the Islamic Republic to choose between striking a deal or surrendering.
On Saturday, Trump announced he was calling off widespread strikes against Iran at Tehran's request to allow room for diplomacy, conditioning the pause on a rapid agreement that includes "the immediate, full, and complete reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and putting an end to Iran's nuclear threat."
Tehran has threatened to target regional infrastructure should the U.S. execute its threats to attack vital facilities inside Iran. Additionally, Iran requested that the Houthis in Yemen prepare to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea in the event that the Iranian power grid is targeted.
As part of the escalating tensions, the United States reinstated a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz following renewed clashes—described as the fiercest since a cease-fire between the two parties took effect in April.
Iran warned that resuming the naval blockade on its ports undermines the memorandum of understanding established with Washington.
The war broke out on February 28, when Israel and the United States attacked Iran. Tehran retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz, which prior to the conflict served as the primary maritime transit route for roughly one-fifth of global energy supplies.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the central flashpoints in the conflict, as Iranian control over the waterway has granted Tehran significant leverage.
Agencies
