The fragile peace between the United States and Tehran appears to be fracturing as both nations exchange warnings and negotiations over Iran’s nuclear stockpile hit a significant deadlock.
On Monday, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, issued a public warning on social media, stating that the Iranian military is prepared to “teach a lesson” to any nation that engages in aggression.
“Our armed forces are ready to respond,” Ghalibaf wrote. “A bad strategy and bad decisions always lead to bad results — the world already understands this.”
The statement follows a series of setbacks in diplomatic talks. President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday that a previously discussed arrangement for the U.S. to help extract Iran’s highly enriched uranium had fallen through. According to the President, Tehran retracted the offer in its most recent proposal.
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“They changed their mind, because they didn’t put it in the paper,” Trump said. He noted that the U.S. is seeking a long-term guarantee that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons, but characterized the current state of the ceasefire as being “on life support.”
While the Iranian government maintains that its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful energy and medical research, the U.S. has remained firm on the removal of enriched materials. Reports from Qatar-based Al-Jazeera suggest Iranian negotiators proposed moving the uranium to Russia, a solution Washington reportedly rejected in favor of transfer to a neutral third country.
In Washington, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced questioning from the House Appropriations Subcommittee regarding the Pentagon’s $1.5 trillion budget and the potential for renewed conflict. Despite the tension, Hegseth insisted the ceasefire remains “in effect” for now.
“As you know, for the most part, a ceasefire means the fire is ceasing, and we know that has occurred while negotiations occur,” Hegseth testified. However, he emphasized that the military is prepared for any shift in the “dynamic situation.”
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When Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) questioned the lack of congressional authorization for continued operations, Hegseth confirmed the Pentagon has contingency plans for both withdrawal and advancement.
“We have a plan to escalate if necessary, we have a plan to retrograde if necessary, we have a plan to shift assets,” he said.
Hegseth further stated that the U.S. goal remains preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, adding that if diplomatic efforts fail, the “Department of War is locked and loaded” to handle the matter militarily.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine joined Hegseth in assuring Congress that U.S. munition levels are sufficient for current tasks, though he noted a desire to bolster stockpiles for future contingencies.
For now, a brief pause in “Project Freedom”—the U.S. escort of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz—remains in place, though Hegseth noted it could be “recommenced” at any time.
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