‘War With US Likely,’ Iran Official Says After Trump Rebuffs Proposal

TEHRAN/WASHINGTON – A senior Iranian military officer warned on Saturday that renewed fighting between Iran and the United States is “likely,” just hours after President Donald Trump dismissed Tehran’s latest negotiating proposal, saying he was “not satisfied” with its terms.

The warning marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric amid a fragile ceasefire that has paused, but not ended, a devastating two-month-old war. The conflict, launched by the United States and Israel in late February, has been on hold since April 8 following a single, unsuccessful round of peace talks mediated by Pakistan.

Trump: ‘Blast the Hell Out of Them’ or Make a Deal?

Iran delivered its draft proposal to Pakistan on Thursday evening, state media reported, though it did not disclose the document’s contents. But on Friday, Trump struck a skeptical tone.

“At this moment, I’m not satisfied with what they’re offering,” Trump told reporters, blaming the stalled negotiations on “tremendous discord” within Iran’s leadership.

He then laid out two stark alternatives: “Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever — or do we want to try and make a deal?” Trump added that he would “prefer not” to take the first option “on a human basis.”

Iran: ‘United States Is Not Committed to Any Promises’

On Saturday morning, Mohammad Jafar Asadi, a senior figure in the Iranian military’s central command, struck a far more confrontational tone.

“A renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely,” Asadi was quoted as saying by Iran’s Fars News Agency. “Evidence has shown that the United States is not committed to any promises or agreements.”

His comments came a day after Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, insisted that Tehran had “never shied away from negotiations,” while rejecting any “imposition” of peace terms.

Nuclear Demands and Back-Channel Edits

The White House has declined to provide details on the Iranian proposal, but according to the news site Axios, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff submitted amendments that would put Tehran’s nuclear program back on the negotiating table. The changes reportedly include demands that Iran refrain from moving enriched uranium away from bombed sites or resuming nuclear activity there during talks.

Oil markets reacted briefly to the diplomatic flurry, with prices falling nearly five percent before stabilizing. Still, crude remains about 50 percent above pre-war levels due to the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively strangled since hostilities began. The U.S. has imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports, further squeezing global energy supplies.

‘Stuck in Purgatory’

On the streets of Tehran, the mood is grim. Amir, a resident who spoke to AFP journalists in Paris, described the stalemate as living in limbo.

“This feels like we are stuck in purgatory,” he said, expressing little faith in the recent proposal. “This is all to waste time. The United States and Israel will attack again.”

Despite the ceasefire in the Gulf, fighting has continued elsewhere. In Lebanon, Israel has carried out deadly strikes despite a separate truce with the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah. Lebanon’s health ministry said 13 people were killed in strikes in the south, including the town of Habboush, where the Israeli military had issued an evacuation warning.

U.S. Arms Sales and Congressional Tensions

Late Friday, Washington announced it had approved major arms sales to Middle East allies, including a $4billionPatriotmissiledealwithQatarandnearly$1 billion in precision weapons systems to Israel.

Meanwhile, a legal battle is brewing in Washington over whether Trump breached a deadline to seek congressional approval for the war. Administration officials argue that the ceasefire pauses a 60-day limit after which authorization would be required — a claim disputed by opposition Democrats.

Trump, facing rising inflation, no clear military victory, and approaching midterm elections, wrote to congressional leaders that “there has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026,” adding that the hostilities “have terminated.”

Economic Devastation in Iran

For ordinary Iranians, the war’s toll is deepening by the day. Washington has imposed new sanctions on three Iranian currency firms and warned others against paying a “toll” for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz — a fee Iran has demanded.

The U.S. military says its blockade of Iranian ports has stopped $6 billion in oil exports. Inflation, already high before the war, has surged past 50 percent.

“For many people, paying rent and even buying food has become difficult, and some have nothing left at all,” said Mahyar, a 28-year-old Iranian, speaking to an AFP reporter based outside the country.

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Friday urged business owners to avoid layoffs “as much as possible” and threatened Iran’s enemies with “economic and cultural jihad.”

Analysts Warn of Renewed Confrontation

Iran’s armed forces have explicitly warned that war with the United States and Israel could resume, citing growing distrust in ongoing diplomatic efforts. According to Al Jazeera, Iranian officials said available “evidence” suggests Washington may not remain committed to agreements.

Trump has cautioned against expecting an early end to the conflict, signaling that the situation remains volatile and subject to rapid escalation. Analysts warn that continued mistrust and the absence of a clear diplomatic breakthrough increase the risk of renewed confrontation — with potential consequences for regional stability and global energy markets.

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