Pezeshkian faults Washington for ending interim Iran-US pact

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of breaking an interim agreement designed to end the war with Washington and Israel. Speaking in comments broadcast by Iranian Press TV on Saturday, he stated that the deal unraveled due to American actions. Despite the collapse, Pezeshkian argued that both parties should return to the framework and conclude the deal.

The diplomatic rift occurred as fears grew that military operations could restart within days. On Friday, US President Donald Trump suggested he might execute another "Epic Fury" operation. He used the specific codename for the conflict that began on February 28. This threat has heightened anxiety in Tehran about a renewed offensive as soon as this weekend.

Iran’s military leadership responded with strong warnings. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that even limited strikes would provoke a response several times greater, according to the semi-official Fars News Agency. Ali Abdollahi, the chief of staff for the Iranian armed forces, said on Saturday that US forces would not enter the Gulf under any circumstances. He told Trump he could only dream of seeing American troops in the region and would take that dream to his grave.

Political pressures weigh on both leaders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains committed to overthrowing the Iranian government. Israelis vote for their next government on Tuesday. Trump faces midterm elections on November 3, where his Republican Party risks losing control of the House and Senate. A defeat would be a major setback for a president who has more than two years remaining in his final term.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, the Iranian government spokesperson, emphasized that Tehran would not wait for permission to defend itself. In a memo, she wrote that the country seeks peace but will respond to aggression with severe consequences. She added that those who believe they can destroy Iran must correct their calculations.

High-level meetings continued in Tehran on Saturday. Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to discuss corruption and compensation for war-affected citizens. Khamenei, who replaced his assassinated father as supreme leader in early March, has not appeared in public since taking office. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also met with Khamenei earlier this week.