Daijiworld Media Network – Tehran
Tehran, May 21: Iran has warned that any fresh attack by the United States or Israel would trigger retaliation extending beyond the Middle East, amid rising tensions following renewed threats from US President Donald Trump.
The warning came from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which said that if aggression against Iran is repeated, the conflict would no longer remain limited to the region.
“If aggression against Iran is repeated, the regional war that had been promised will this time extend beyond the region,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The force also warned of “crushing blows in places you do not expect.”
The remarks came after Trump signalled that he could authorise another round of strikes in the coming days in an attempt to pressure Tehran over its nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“I hope we don’t have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit,” Trump told reporters, adding that action could come within days if no progress is made.
Iran and the US remain deadlocked over efforts to convert the fragile ceasefire into a more lasting agreement, with both sides continuing aggressive rhetoric.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the country had used the ceasefire period to rebuild its military preparedness and strengthen its economic resilience.
Iran had earlier launched drones and missiles towards several countries, including Israel, Gulf Arab nations, Turkey and Cyprus, after the conflict escalated earlier this year. Despite suffering damage from airstrikes before the April 8 truce, Tehran insists it still retains the capability to strike multiple targets.
Oil prices fell by around 3.5 per cent on Wednesday, though Brent crude continued to trade above $107 per barrel, remaining significantly higher than earlier this year amid fears over supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran has so far rejected US demands to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium or permanently halt uranium enrichment activities. Iranian leaders continue to maintain that their nuclear programme is intended for peaceful energy purposes.
Another major point of dispute remains the naval blockade. Iran has demanded that the US lift restrictions on Iranian ports before Tehran agrees to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping traffic, including oil and LNG tankers.
US Vice President J D Vance struck a slightly more conciliatory tone, saying Washington believes Iran may still be interested in a deal.
“We think that we’ve made a lot of progress; we think the Iranians want to make a deal,” Vance said, though he admitted renewed fighting remained a possibility.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has intensified mediation efforts, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reportedly visiting Tehran for the second time in less than a week for discussions with Iranian officials.
Iran also claimed that 26 vessels, including oil tankers and container ships, had crossed the Strait of Hormuz over the past day under the “coordination and security” of the IRGC Navy, reflecting Tehran’s growing control over movement through the strategic waterway.