GENEVA: The standoff between Iran and the United States is a “clash of wills,” a senior commander of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday, suggesting any enemy “adventurism” would meet a crushing response, Fars news agency reported.
Tensions have spiked between the two countries after Washington sent more military forces to the Middle East in a show of force against what US officials say are Iranian threats to its troops and interests in the region.
“The confrontation and face-off of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the malicious government of America is the arena for a clash of wills,” Iran’s armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Baqeri said.
He pointed to a battle during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war where Iran was victorious and said the outcome could be a message that Iran will have a “hard, crushing and obliterating response” for any enemy “adventurism.”
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump tweeted: “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!“
Trump restored US sanctions on Iran last year and tightened them this month, ordering all countries to halt imports of Iranian oil or face sanctions of their own.
Trump wants Iran to come to the negotiating table to reach a new deal with more curbs on its nuclear and missile programs.
Reiterating Iran’s stance, the spokesman for its Supreme National Security Council said on Thursday that “There will not be any negotiations between Iran and America.”
Keyvan Khosravi was also quoted as saying by the state broadcaster that some officials from several countries have visited Iran recently, “mostly representing the United States.”
He did not elaborate, but the foreign minister of Oman, which in the past helped pave the way for negotiations between Iran and the United States, visited Tehran on Monday.
“Without exception, the message of the power and resistance of the Iranian nation was conveyed to them,” he said.
In Berlin, a German diplomatic source told Reuters that Jens Ploetner, a political director in Germany’s Foreign Ministry, was in Tehran on Thursday for meetings with Iranian officials to try to preserve the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and cool tensions in the region.
Iran, US tension is a ‘clash of wills’: Guards commander
Iran, US tension is a ‘clash of wills’: Guards commander
- The commander said they will have a “hard, crushing and obliterating response” for their enemies
- Tensions between Iran and US escalated after Trump restored sanctions
Saudi, Arab and muslim ministers voice deep concern over worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza
DUBAI: The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkiye, Qatar and Egypt expressed deep concern over the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip on Friday.
A statement published by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X cited severe weather conditions and restrictions on humanitarian access as key factors exacerbating civilian suffering.
It said flooded camps, collapsed structures, damaged tents and exposure to cold temperatures had significantly increased risks to civilian lives, particularly among children, women, the elderly and those with medical vulnerabilities.
The ministers warned that the combination of malnutrition, poor shelter and lack of clean water has heightened the risk of disease outbreaks, placing additional strain on Gaza’s fragile health system.
The statement commended the efforts of UN agencies, particularly UNRWA, as well as international humanitarian organizations, for continuing to provide assistance under extremely challenging conditions.
The ministers stressed that humanitarian organizations must be allowed to operate in Gaza and the occupied West Bank in a sustained, predictable and unrestricted manner, describing any obstruction of their work as unacceptable.
The statement highlighted support for UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and US President Donald Trump’s “Comprehensive Plan,” as well as the ministers’ intention to contribute to efforts aimed at sustaining the ceasefire, ending the war in Gaza, and enabling early recovery and reconstruction.
The ministers also called on the international community to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities, urging Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately lift restrictions on the entry and distribution of essential supplies, including shelter materials, medical aid, fuel, clean water and sanitation support.
They also demanded the immediate, full, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza through the UN and its agencies, the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure and hospitals, and the opening of the Rafah Crossing in both directions, in line with Trump’s plan.
