Iran warns new war could last longer after Trump threatens strikes

Iran warned on Sunday that any renewed war with the United States could last longer than the previous round of fighting, after US President Donald Trump said Washington still had a few targets left to strike.

Diplomatic efforts to end the war in the Middle East have been overshadowed by repeated threats from the United States and Israel to resume attacks.

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

The war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks across the region. Iran-aligned armed groups also joined the fighting in Lebanon and Yemen.

Akraminia's remarks followed Trump's suggestion that the United States could quickly strike its remaining targets in Iran.

“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.

US media reported that Trump spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to discuss whether and when to intensify military operations against Iran.

Axios, citing one US official and one Israeli official, reported that the two leaders discussed the state of negotiations with Tehran. Netanyahu reportedly urged Trump to strike Iran immediately after Tuesday's US midterm elections, while Trump favoured allowing negotiations to continue.

The Israeli official described the call as “tough”, while the US official called it “direct”, according to Axios.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump confirmed that he had discussed Iran with Netanyahu but declined to provide further details.

Iranian military and political leaders have also issued warnings against any renewed attack.

Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi on Sunday echoed a warning issued a day earlier in a written message by Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

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

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on Washington to pursue diplomacy.

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

The warnings came after Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, disclosed on Saturday that he had received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance seeking to revive negotiations.

Rezaei noted what he described as a positive change in Washington's “tone” but said he had yet to respond.

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

Iran's conditions include the unfreezing of its overseas assets, an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, the lifting of longstanding sanctions and a halt to the war on all fronts.

Since the conflict began, Iran has asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies, and repeatedly targeted vessels attempting to pass without its authorisation.

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

UAE hopes for diplomatic breakthrough

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said on Sunday that his country hoped diplomatic efforts would produce a breakthrough but was preparing for further conflict.

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

“It is not in 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 expressed concern over the growing threat of renewed fighting, while others said they were unfazed.

“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.

Ebrahim, a 48-year-old vendor in downtown Tehran, said he was not afraid of another war.

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