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Iran Threatens Major Escalation if War Resumes

Iran Threatens Major Escalation if War Resumes

Iran’s leadership is making it increasingly clear that Tehran has no intention of backing away quietly from either its military posture or its nuclear leverage, even as the Trump administration continues pursuing negotiations aimed at preventing a wider regional war.

On Thursday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian publicly pledged to use “all” available government resources to strengthen the country’s armed forces following weeks of heightened tensions involving the United States and Israel.

During a meeting with Iranian Army commander Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami, Pezeshkian vowed continued support for expanding Iran’s military infrastructure, modernizing equipment, and increasing what Tehran calls its “deterrence capability,” according to a statement released by the Iranian president’s office and cited by CBS News.

“The government stands with the armed forces with all its capacity,” the statement declared.

Hatami reportedly struck an even more aggressive tone, warning that Iran remains fully prepared to retaliate if attacked again.


According to the statement, the Iranian military is “fully prepared to provide a decisive, regrettable response” to any future strikes.

The comments come as negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain extremely fragile.

Reuters reported Thursday that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has ordered that the country’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium cannot be sent abroad under any future agreement. The directive directly undermines one of President Trump’s central demands during the ongoing talks.


American and Israeli officials have long insisted that Iran must either surrender or remove its highly enriched uranium stockpile as part of any lasting settlement. Israeli officials reportedly believed Trump had assured Jerusalem that uranium removal would remain non-negotiable.

Khamenei’s reported order now threatens to derail that framework entirely.

At the same time, Iran is escalating pressure in the Persian Gulf.

Iran’s newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority released a map Wednesday claiming authority over a massive maritime “supervision zone” across the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes. According to the statement posted on X, Tehran now claims vessels passing through the strait must coordinate with Iranian authorities and obtain permits before transit.

The boundaries outlined by Iran stretch from the Iranian coast toward sections of the United Arab Emirates, effectively placing nearly all traffic through the strait under Tehran’s asserted oversight.

“Passing through the Strait of Hormuz require[s] coordination with the Persian Gulf Waterway Management and a permit from this entity,” the statement said.

The move immediately raised alarms because the Strait of Hormuz handles a massive share of the world’s oil and energy shipments. Any attempt by Iran to interfere with navigation there risks triggering another international crisis.

Despite the rising tension, President Trump indicated Thursday that he remains willing to continue negotiations if it avoids a larger war.


Speaking with Daily Wire reporter Mary Margaret Olohan, Trump dismissed frustration over the prolonged back-and-forth with Tehran.

“I never get tired,” Trump said.

“If I can save war by waiting a couple of days or save people from getting killed by waiting a couple of days, I think it’s a great thing to do.”

Trump has repeatedly warned that military action remains on the table if Iran refuses to abandon its nuclear ambitions, but his latest remarks suggest the administration still sees value in diplomacy, at least for now.

Saudi Arabia publicly endorsed that approach Thursday.

Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud praised Trump’s decision to continue negotiations rather than immediately escalate militarily. In an official statement, the Saudi government said it “highly appreciates” the president’s decision to give diplomacy additional time.

The kingdom also stressed the importance of restoring free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and praised Pakistan’s role as a backchannel mediator between Washington and Tehran.

“Saudi Arabia looks forward to Iran seizing the opportunity to avoid the dangerous implications of escalation,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Trump also used Thursday’s remarks to praise Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while joking about his own popularity inside Israel.

“He’s fine, he’ll do whatever I want him to do,” Trump said of Netanyahu. “He’s a very, very good man.”

Trump defended Netanyahu politically as well, arguing the Israeli leader has been treated unfairly during wartime.

“He’s a wartime Prime Minister, and he’s not treated right in Israel, in my opinion,” Trump said before joking, “I’m right now at 99% in Israel. I could run for Prime Minister.”

Written by Mark Stevens - May 21, 2026