Pezeshkian faults Washington for truce collapse as weekend strike looms

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian placed the blame for the collapse of the interim peace deal on Washington. Speaking in remarks aired by Press TV on Saturday, he stated that the United States caused the agreement to unravel. Despite the failure, Pezeshkian argued that both nations should return to the negotiating table to finish the pact.

The political pressure on Tehran and Washington has intensified as the threat of renewed combat grows. US President Donald Trump indicated on Friday that he might launch another operation using the codename "Epic Fury." This is the same designation used for the US and Israeli war against Iran, which began on February 28. Observers fear that military action could resume as early as this weekend.

Iranian military leaders have responded with strong warnings about US presence in the region. Ali Abdollahi, the chief of staff for the Iranian armed forces, declared on Saturday that the US military would not be permitted in the Gulf under any circumstances. He told Trump he could only dream of such a move and would take that dream to his grave. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps added that even small strikes would provoke a response several times greater in scale.

Both leaders face domestic political clocks that may limit their options. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains committed to toppling the Iranian government. Israelis will vote for a new government on Tuesday. In the US, Trump’s Republican Party faces midterm elections on November 3. A potential Democratic takeover of the House and Senate would deliver a major setback to a president who still has more than two years left in his term.

Tehran’s government maintains a dual posture of seeking peace while preparing for defense. Spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani wrote in a memo that Iran will not wait for permission to defend itself. She stated that while the country seeks peace, it will respond to aggression with severe consequences. Mohajerani also noted that those hoping to destroy Iran must correct their calculations.

Behind the scenes, Iranian leadership is coordinating on war damages and internal stability. Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday. The pair discussed tackling corruption and pursuing compensation for citizens affected by the war. Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since assuming the role in early March, had also met with chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf earlier in the week.