Iran has threatened the US with “devastation” and warned that Tehran has “rebuilt” its military capability during the ceasefire. Iranian top negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said “our armed forces have rebuilt themselves during the ceasefire”.
During talks in Tehran with Field Marshal Asim Munir, Commander of the Pakistani Army, Ghalibaf said: “We will not deviate from the rights of our nation and country, especially with a party that has no sincerity and cannot be trusted.” He added that the Islamic Republic of Iran defended the country with courage and authority on the battlefield and will pursue its legitimate rights with intelligence and strength on the diplomatic front.
“Military men know the value of peace better than others, but they will never allow their country’s dignity and rights to be trampled,” Ghalibaf said. He also issued a warning to the US, saying that if Trump acts foolishly and restarts the war, “it will certainly be more crushing and bitter for America than the first day of the war.”
He blamed the US for launching the war while negotiations were underway, and is now calling for talks to end it. “We were in a ceasefire that you brokered when the United States broke its word, imposed a naval blockade, and now it is looking to lift it,” he said.
Munir said: “You and I are both soldiers of our nations, and soldiers speak without stuttering and with honesty.” He added that Pakistan holds the best wishes and prayers for the future of the Iranians.
The army chief arrived in Tehran on Friday and held talks with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the “latest efforts and diplomatic initiatives to prevent escalation” of the war between Iran, the US and Israel.
Despite the threatening language, Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, thinks the leaders are getting more serious due to the fatigue setting in on both sides.
He told Al Jazeera: “A few weeks ago, there was a sense that the two leaderships were trying to message their own audiences: ‘We are going to win, it’s unconditional surrender,’. “Whilst that’s still going on, it’s not quite at that tempo. I think perhaps the two sides are getting more serious.”
“We’ve reached a breaking point,” he said.
In the meantime, the April ceasefire has not led to an opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and shipping across the Gulf and Gulf of Oman remains at risk.
