Pezeshkian: US broke interim pact, setting stage for new 'Epic Fury' strike

Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran, placed the blame for the collapse of the interim peace agreement squarely on Washington. Speaking in remarks broadcast on Saturday, he stated that the United States ended the deal that was intended to halt the war with the US and Israel. Despite assigning the fault, Pezeshkian indicated that Tehran wants to return to the negotiations to finish the agreement.

The comments arrive as tensions rise over the possibility of renewed military action. On Friday, Donald Trump suggested he might launch another campaign under the codename 'Epic Fury.' That name was used for the US-Israeli war that began on February 28. The timing suggests the next phase of fighting could begin as soon as this weekend.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, issued a stark warning through the semi-official Fars News Agency. The group said that even if US strikes were limited, the Iranian response would be 'several times greater.' Ali Abdollahi, the chief of staff for the Iranian Armed Forces, added on Saturday that the US military would be barred from the Gulf region under any circumstances. He described the idea of US forces entering the Gulf as a 'dream' that Trump would take to his grave.

Political calculations in both countries add weight to the standoff. Netanyahu remains focused on replacing the Iranian government ahead of Israeli elections scheduled for Tuesday. In the US, the Republican Party faces midterm elections on November 3. A loss of the House and Senate would be a major setback for Trump, who has more than two years remaining in his final term.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, the Iranian government spokesperson, wrote in a memo that Tehran would not wait for permission to defend itself. She stated that while the country seeks peace, it will respond to aggression with severe consequences. Mohajerani warned that those who believe they can destroy Iran must correct their calculations.

High-level meetings in Tehran underscore the gravity of the situation. Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the chief of the judiciary, met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday. They discussed corruption and compensation for those affected by the war. Khamenei, who took power after his father was assassinated in the opening strikes of the conflict, has not been seen in public since early March. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliament speaker, met with the Supreme Leader earlier this week.