U.S. President Donald Trump issued an unprecedented threat to Iran, saying that if it makes any attempt to assassinate him, the country will be completely destroyed. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he wrote that “a thousand missiles are already aimed at Iran, and thousands more are ready to be launched next.” Trump stressed that he had issued the relevant orders, and that the U.S. military “is ready, willing and able, within a year, with the possibility of extension, to completely erase every area of Iran.”
Yet almost immediately, he added that the door to negotiations remains open—though with a condition: the April ceasefire no longer applies.
Such rhetoric has not been heard for the first time. Earlier, Trump spoke of “the destruction of civilization” in Iran if no deal is reached, but then he stepped back, demanding that Tehran agree to a ceasefire. Now, he has officially announced the end of the truce that began in April and confirmed that Iran, allegedly, itself requested new talks. “We agreed, but we made it clear: the ceasefire regime is over,” he said. U.S. media report that negotiators have very little time, and that if dialogue fails, Washington will have “a wide range of options.”
Iran’s response was swift and sharp. Officials in Tehran made it clear that they do not believe the United States and do not consider it possible to continue the dialogue without solid commitments from Washington. Iran’s state television said the country is not prepared for talks because the United States is not meeting the terms of a memorandum of understanding signed on June 18. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament and the chief negotiator, said he personally explained to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance: “We don’t trust you and we will never give in.”
Amid the escalation, international intermediaries have become more active. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif contacted Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, urging that the “achievements of peace” be preserved and insisting on “restraint, dialogue and diplomacy.” Similar statements were made by Egypt and Qatar, which during telephone talks urged both sides to de-escalate and prevent the conflict from expanding. Iran itself, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, has not requested new talks, but does not reject visits by regional mediators. A Qatari delegation has already visited the Iranian city of Mashhad, where it heard Tehran’s position.
The central point of disagreement remains the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi traveled to Oman for talks focused on “the security of navigation” in this strategically important region. According to Iranian media, the visit continues consultations conducted over the past two months. Iranian diplomats at the United Nations signaled that any actions in the strait—whether opening it or clearing mines—are solely Tehran’s prerogative. Iran insists that the previous navigation regime cannot be restored and demands control, including possible “service fees,” which the United States and several other countries categorically reject.
Despite the April agreement on a ceasefire and the June memorandum, the situation remains extremely explosive. The sides are trading threats and showing a complete lack of trust. While Iran sends representatives to consult with its neighbors, and while the United States keeps missiles on standby, the future of negotiations hangs by a thread. The key question—whether diplomacy can prevent a large-scale conflict—remains unanswered.
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- Who is Masoud Pezeshkian and what role does he play in Iran’s political structure? - Masoud Pezeshkian is an Iranian reformist politician who serves as President of Iran (since 2024). Previously, he was a member of parliament and Minister of Health. In Iran’s political structure, the president is the head of the executive branch, but his powers are limited by the Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei), who has the final say on decisions on key state matters. Pezeshkian is known for his moderate and reformist views.
- Why is Mashhad considered an important religious and political center of Iran? - Mashhad is Iran’s largest religious center because it is home to the shrine of Imam Reza, the eighth Imam of the Shi’a Twelvers, which attracts millions of pilgrims every year. The city’s political significance is tied to the fact that it is the capital of the Razavi Khorasan Province and a stronghold of conservative and clerical circles. The influential organization “Astan Quds Razavi” controls major economic and political resources, which strengthens Mashhad’s role in Iranian politics.
Full version: "A thousand missiles ready".. Trump threatens Iran with annihilation and Tehran confirms it will not give in