Pezeshkian Blames US for Collapse of 10-Day Interim Pact

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Washington of breaking an interim agreement designed to end the war with the United States and Israel. Speaking in an interview broadcast by Iranian Press TV on Saturday, Pezeshkian stated that both sides should return to the deal and conclude it. His comments arrive as fears grow that military action could resume as soon as this weekend.

US President Donald Trump set the stage for renewed conflict on Friday when he said he may do another little Epic Fury. That phrase references the codename for the US-Israeli war against Iran, which began on February 28. The interim deal aimed to pause that fighting, but Pezeshkian now argues that the American side failed to hold its end of the bargain.

The Iranian military has signaled it is ready to escalate. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that even limited strikes would trigger a response several times greater, according to the semi-official Fars News Agency. Ali Abdollahi, the chief of staff for the Iranian Armed Forces, declared on Saturday that the US military would not be allowed in the Gulf under any circumstances. He told Trump that he could only dream of seeing US forces enter the region and that he would take that dream to the grave.

Political pressure surrounds both leaders. Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has maintained that he remains committed to overthrowing the Iranian government. Israelis are scheduled to vote on their next government on Tuesday. In the United States, Trump faces midterm elections on November 3 where Republicans could lose control of both chambers of Congress. Such a result would be a major blow to the president, who has more than two years remaining in his final term.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, the Iranian government spokesperson, issued a memo on Saturday stating that Tehran would not wait for permission to defend itself. She wrote that the country seeks peace but will respond to any aggression with severe consequences. Mohajerani added that those who harbor the illusion of destroying Iran must correct their calculations.

Domestic leadership meetings are underway in Tehran. Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to discuss tackling corruption and pursuing compensation for Iranians affected by the war. Khamenei assumed the position in early March after his father was assassinated during the opening strikes on February 28. He has not been seen in public since taking office. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who serves as the chief negotiator, met with Khamenei earlier this week.