Iran Declares Full-Scale War with United States Amid Truce Talks
Iran's president said the country is in a full-scale war with the United States, while mediators have offered a 10-day cease-fire and the U.S. acknowledges limited munitions for a broader conflict.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told reporters on Monday that Tehran is engaged in a full-scale war with the United States and must accept the consequences of its resistance. Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf echoed the view, saying new American military equipment being sent to the region contradicts U.S. claims of wanting to end the fighting.
A U.S. official briefed to the Washington Post said the United States is planning for a wider war but faces shortages of air-defense and long-range missiles, limiting its ability to sustain operations or deploy additional troops. The official added that the White House may not be fully aware of these constraints.
Despite the heightened rhetoric, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said diplomatic contacts with the United States continue through mediators, who have conveyed a proposal that includes a 10-day cease-fire to revive a recent interim agreement. The interim deal, signed last month, called for a 60-day pause in hostilities, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a timeline for a permanent settlement on Iran’s nuclear program.
Baghaei also warned that Iran will not allow the Strait of Hormuz to be used against its security, noting recent attacks on vessels in the waterway. A Greek-owned tanker caught fire after being struck near Oman, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported explosions involving two oil tankers in the strait.
In parallel, reports indicated that the Pentagon had not disclosed injuries to dozens of U.S. soldiers and damage to several helicopters from recent Iranian strikes. The U.S. military confirmed three service members killed in the conflict, bringing the total U.S. fatalities to 17.
Israel’s security cabinet was slated to meet on Monday as the regional situation escalated, and neighboring Gulf states reported additional Iranian missile and drone attacks.