Iran warns it will open new fronts if US attacks again amid ongoing diplomatic efforts
Iran's army warned on Tuesday it would open new fronts if the United States launches another attack, as diplomatic efforts between the two countries continue. The warning came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had called off a planned offensive against Iran at the request of Gulf states. Qatar said the diplomatic process needs more time to succeed.
Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia warned on Tuesday that Iran would open new fronts if the United States launches another attack, as diplomatic efforts between the two countries continue amid a fragile cease-fire.
"If the enemy commits the stupidity of falling again into the trap of the Zionists and committing a new aggression against our beloved Iran, we will open new fronts against him," Akraminia said, according to the Iranian news agency ISNA.
The warning came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had called off a planned attack against Iran that was scheduled for Tuesday at the request of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Trump said he saw "very good chances" of reaching an agreement with Tehran and described the diplomatic talks as "very positive," but provided no details. He added that the United States stood ready to launch a "total and large-scale attack on Iran at any moment if an acceptable deal is not reached."
Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said on Tuesday that diplomatic efforts between Iran and the United States "need more time" to succeed. "We support the diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan to bring the parties together and find a solution, and we think they need more time," Al-Ansari said at a press conference in Doha.
A single session of U.S.-Iran talks took place on April 11 in Islamabad and ended in failure. Iran demands the unfreezing of its overseas assets and the lifting of international sanctions, while Washington has insisted on strict nuclear restrictions. According to Iran's Fars news agency, the U.S. demands that Iran maintain only one active nuclear site and transfer its stock of highly enriched uranium to the United States, and has refused to unfreeze "even 25%" of Iran's assets or pay compensation for war damage.
U.S. Central Command chief Brad Cooper said Operation "Epic Fury" destroyed 90% of Iran's ballistic missile and drone industrial base, significantly weakening Tehran's capabilities. Cooper told the House Armed Services Committee that the operation "ensured that Iran will not be able to rebuild them for years." He also said the U.S. military "scrupulously respects the law of armed conflict" and takes reports of civilian casualties seriously.
At least 3,042 people have been killed and 9,301 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Israel has seized approximately 1,000 square kilometers of territory in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, according to the Financial Times. The Israeli army on Tuesday called for the evacuation of 12 villages in southern Lebanon ahead of further strikes against Hezbollah, citing "repeated violations of the cease-fire agreement by Hezbollah." The villages include Toura, Nabatiyeh, Habbouche, Bazouria, Tayr Debba, Kfar Hounah, Ain Qana, Labaia, Jebchit, Chehabiya, Bourj Al-Chemali and Houmine El-Faouqa.
Iranian authorities held public mass wedding ceremonies in Tehran on Monday for couples who pledged to sacrifice their lives in the war against the U.S. and Israel. State television broadcast the events, which took place on several major squares in the capital and involved hundreds of couples participating in a state-backed "self-sacrifice" program.
The U.S. 30-year Treasury yield hit a high on Tuesday not seen since 2007, around 5.18%, driven by inflation fears linked to the Middle East conflict. Brent crude oil fell 1.55% to $110.36 a barrel on Tuesday after Trump's comments, while West Texas Intermediate dropped 1.07% to $107.50.
The UAE said drones that targeted the Barakah nuclear plant on May 17 originated from Iraq. The defense ministry said technical tracking confirmed that three drones came from Iraqi territory. The attack has not been claimed.
Iranian Revolutionary Guards said they struck groups based in northern Iraq that were "acting on behalf of the U.S. and Israel" and trying to smuggle weapons into Iran. The Guards said they targeted unidentified groups near the Iraqi border attempting to bring in a "large shipment of American weapons and ammunition." Kurdish opposition groups denied the allegations, with Komala party representative Amjad Hossein Panahi calling the claims "completely false" and a pretext for continued Iranian attacks on the Kurdistan region.