Iran war warning follows Trump's remarks on further strikes

An Iran war warning on Sunday, November 1, said renewed fighting with the United States could last longer than the previous conflict, after President Donald Trump spoke of striking additional targets. Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said Washington could not determine when or how another war would end.

Trump had told reporters that one or two sites still needed attention and suggested they could be hit quickly. He referred to Pickaxe Mountain, described in the reports as a suspected underground nuclear complex.

Diplomatic opening faces conditions from Tehran

The president confirmed on Sunday that he had discussed Iran with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He did not provide details of the conversation.

The exchange came amid diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, whose most intense phase began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes across the region, while allied armed groups became involved in Lebanon and Yemen.

Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said a conflict with the US would not be geographically confined. His remarks echoed a written warning issued a day earlier by supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

Alongside the Iran war warning, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged the other side to choose diplomacy. He said Tehran remained ready both to defend itself and to pursue a diplomatic path.

A letter proposing renewed talks came from JD Vance, the US vice president, according to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei's account on Saturday. Rezaei noted an improvement in tone but said he had not yet replied.

He said Iran's conditions included release of frozen assets, removal of sanctions, an end to the US blockade of Iranian ports and cessation of fighting on all fronts. Tehran has linked those demands to negotiations and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

At a conference in Manama, Emirati presidential adviser Anwar Gargash expressed hope for a diplomatic breakthrough. He also said the United Arab Emirates was preparing for the possibility that efforts to avoid more fighting would fail.

Also read: Trump Iran remarks combine leadership claims with negotiation doubts | Iran strike preparations await Trump decision, US officials say