Iran warns next war with US could be longer as Trump threatens further strikes

Iran has cautioned that a renewed conflict with the United States could extend beyond the duration of the previous war, as President Donald Trump hints at additional strikes on Iranian targets. Diplomatic attempts to avoid an escalation are fraught with uncertainty, as both nations grapple with impending elections. Mohammad Akraminia, an Iranian army spokesperson, stated that a future war might surpass the length of prior conflicts, emphasizing that the American president lacks the authority to dictate its termination.

During the most intense phase of the war, which commenced on February 28 with US-Israeli assault on Iran, Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region. Iran-aligned armed groups also participated in the fighting in Lebanon and Yemen. Following Trump's assertion that the US could swiftly address its remaining targets in Iran within a short timeframe, top military and political officials in Iran cautioned against any fresh attack.

Hossein Mohebbi, a Revolutionary Guards spokesman, echoed the warning of Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who emphasized the absence of geographical boundaries in a conflict with America. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed hope that the other side would demonstrate rationality and opt for diplomacy, while Iran remained prepared for both defense and diplomacy.

Security chief Mohsen Rezaei disclosed receiving a letter from US Vice President JD Vance aimed at reviving talks, although Rezaei had not yet responded. Tehran had previously communicated to Washington that it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz nor engage in negotiations unless its conditions were met, including unfreezing Iranian assets abroad, lifting the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, eliminating sanctions, and ending the war.

The United States has imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports. The Emirates expressed hope for a diplomatic breakthrough but prepared for the worst. In Tehran, residents expressed a sense of helplessness as the prospect of renewed fighting looms, while some residents acknowledged the inevitability of war given the long-standing conflict.