Pezeshkian calls for talks as US truce ends

Ten days have passed since the last US strike on Iran, yet Tehran now argues the interim deal is dead. President Masoud Pezeshkian placed the blame squarely on Washington on Saturday, stating that the United States unraveled the agreement meant to end the war with the US and Israel.

Pezeshkian told Iranian Press TV that both sides should return to the table to "conclude" the deal. His comments arrive as fears grow that military action could resume this weekend. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he "may do another little Epic Fury," a reference to the codename for the conflict that began on February 28.

Iran’s military leadership is preparing for a robust defense. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned through the Fars News Agency that even limited strikes would trigger a response "several times greater." Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ali Abdollahi added that the US military would not be allowed in the Gulf "under any circumstances and at any time."

Abdollahi said Trump could only "dream" of seeing US forces enter the Gulf, noting he would take that dream to the grave. Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said Tehran would not "wait for permission to defend itself." She wrote in a memo that Iran seeks peace but will respond to aggression with severe consequences.

Political pressures mount on both sides of the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains committed to overthrowing Iran’s government. Israeli voters will choose their next government on Tuesday. Trump faces a critical test on November 3, when Republicans compete in midterm elections. Democrats could win control of both the House and the Senate, a outcome that would strike a major blow to Trump’s final term.

Inside Iran, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei met with judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei to discuss corruption and war compensation. Khamenei, who replaced his father after the latter was assassinated in the opening strikes, has not been seen in public since taking office in early March. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met with Khamenei earlier this week.

The diplomatic effort continues despite the hardline rhetoric. Pezeshkian’s call to return to the deal stands in contrast to the military warnings. The next few days will determine if the "Epic Fury" operations pause or expand.