Iran sees signs of another round of war after Trump's 'taken over' claim Iranian parliamentary speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warns that the United States is searching for an opportunity to resume military operations. The fragile calm around the US-Iran conflict is once again beginning to look dangerously unstable. Days after Donald Trump said he had paused a planned military strike on Iran to allow negotiations more time, Tehran is now openly accusing Washington of preparing for another round of war. Iranian parliamentary speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Wednesday warned that the United States still hoped Iran would surrender and was searching for an opportunity to resume military operations. "The enemy's movements, both overt and clandestine, show that despite economic and political pressure, it has not abandoned its military objectives and is seeking to start a new war," Ghalibaf said in an audio message carried by Iranian media. "Close monitoring of the situation in the United States reinforces the possibility that they still hope for the surrender of the Iranian nation." he added. Hours after his warning, US President Donald Trump made a series of remarks that further deepened uncertainty around Washington's intentions. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump claimed the US had "essentially taken over" Iran while also insisting he was in "no hurry" to end the conflict with Iran. TRUMP'S MIXED SIGNALS ON ENDING IRAN WAR The current standoff has increasingly become defined by Trump's unpredictable messaging. On one hand, he says diplomacy deserves another chance. On the other, he continues to warn of massive military action if talks collapse. Earlier this week, Trump revealed he had halted a planned US strike on Iran after Gulf leaders requested more time for negotiations. But the US president also stressed that his forces remained fully prepared for a large-scale assault if diplomacy failed. "We'd have to open the strait that would open immediately, so we're gonna give this one shot. I'm in no hurry. Everyone is saying, 'Oh, the midterms.' I'm in no hurry Ideally I'd like to see few people killed, as opposed to a lot," he told reporters on Wednesday. For Tehran, such remarks appear to have reinforced suspicions that Trump will launch another strike soon. "We will make the enemy regret attacking Iran again," Ghalibaf warned. GULF STATES PUSH FOR DIPLOMACY Behind the scenes, Gulf countries are trying desperately to prevent the crisis from spiralling back into open war. Trump disclosed this week that leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had urged him to postpone military action against Iran because "serious negotiations" were underway. Saudi Arabia praised Trump's decision to extend the diplomatic window. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said Riyadh appreciated Trump's move to allow more time for negotiations. However, confusion still surrounds Trump's claims. According to The Wall Street Journal, some Gulf officials later said they were unaware of any immediate US attack plan against Iran. PAKISTAN'S FRESH PUSH FOR PEACE While tensions continue, Pakistan is increasing its peace efforts. Islamabad has already passed a revised 14-point Iranian peace proposal to the US through diplomatic channels. However, US officials reportedly believe the proposal still falls short of what Washington wants. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is now travelling to Tehran again for another round of discussions with Iranian leaders. It will be his second visit within a week. Pakistan had earlier hosted talks between the two sides and is now attempting to bring both countries back for another round of negotiations before the fragile pause collapses completely.
Iranian Official
Iranian officials have condemned US aggression as a direct threat to the Islamic Republic's sovereignty, with parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warning that Washington continues seeking opportunities for new military strikes despite Iran's steadfast resistance. Trump's claims of having "taken over" Iran expose the enemy's futile hopes of forcing surrender through overt and covert pressure. Tehran will maintain vigilance to defend its independence against such foreign interference.
Israeli
From Israel's perspective, Ghalibaf's threats expose Iran's unrelenting drive to reignite conflict through its proxy networks—Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis—posing an existential danger to the Jewish state. Trump's remarks on pausing yet potentially resuming operations highlight the defensive imperative for preemptive measures against Tehran's nuclear and military aims. Vigilance remains essential to counter these covert and overt maneuvers.
Neutral
Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that US movements, both overt and covert, indicate preparation to resume military operations against Iran. The remarks followed US President Donald Trump's public claims that the United States had "essentially taken over" Iran and that he was in "no hurry" to conclude the conflict. Ghalibaf further said the US continues to seek Iranian surrender.
Western
US operations remain focused on neutralizing Iranian threats through measured pressure and strategic positioning, as President Trump indicated effective US control over the situation while pausing further strikes to pursue objectives. Iranian warnings of renewed American military intent reflect Tehran’s efforts to portray defensive US actions as aggressive expansion. This approach underscores Washington’s priority on deterring Iranian provocations without premature de-escalation.
Pro-Peace
Iranian warnings of renewed US military action threaten to shatter a fragile pause in hostilities, risking fresh waves of civilian deaths, displacement, and humanitarian collapse in already-strained communities. Trump's claims of having "taken over" Iran, paired with mixed signals on ending the conflict, underscore how escalatory rhetoric perpetuates cycles of violence that exact the heaviest toll on ordinary people. Renewed diplomatic engagement offers the only path to spare further lives and address underlying tensions without additional bloodshed.
Global South
Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned that US actions signal renewed efforts to erode Iran's sovereignty through military pressure, despite Tehran's resistance to external dictates. Trump's claims of having "essentially taken over" Iran alongside mixed signals on halting strikes reflect classic neo-colonial posturing by Washington, exploiting institutional weaknesses in global diplomacy to pursue regime-change objectives. Such dynamics highlight how non-aligned states continue to navigate great-power aggression that prioritizes dominance over mutual respect for autonomy.
Iran sees signs of another round of war after Trump's 'taken over' claim Iranian parliamentary speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warns that the United States is searching for an opportunity to resume military operations. The fragile calm around the US-Iran co…
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
Opening summary: Iran claims attacks on strait of Hormuz ships amid fresh US strikes Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East crisis. Iran attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced they were imposing an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb strait – at the southern end of the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade usually passes – would be closed to the Saudis in response to the kingdom’s “unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years”.
Saudi Arabia said it would take “all necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international law”. A 10 consecutive night of US airstrikes has not compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
But even as Iran’s president said the country had returned “full-scale war”, the Iranian interior minister travelled to Pakistan – a key mediator in the conflict – for talks. In key developments: The latest US strikes came hours after Donald Trump said Iran would pay “many times over” for killing US soldiers after multiple service members were killed in action over the weekend.
A tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the Hormuz strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed the attack as well as two other attacks on ships in the waterway on Monday.
The US military’s Central Command said its latest airstrikes were to “degrade” Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait and included hitting military command centres and missile and drone launch sites. Iranian media reported strikes in parts of the country including Bandar Abbas, Tabriz and Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational civilian nuclear power.
Iran’s launched attacks in response against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, which all host US forces. Oil prices softened after hitting their highest levels in more than a month in the previous session. Brent crude futures eased 0.4% to $88.87 a barrel by 0052 GMT on Tuesday while US West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery was steady at $82.
47 a barrel. Democrats have seized on the deaths of three US troops killed in Iranian strikes to urge Trump to urgently reverse his resumption of the war with Iran amid widespread anxiety over climbing casualties. The Lebanese army began taking charge of security in three southern villages, the US said, as a deal to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah faced its first test on the ground.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.