Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Wednesday urged the country's officials to enhance cohesion and address the current economic hardships as Iran is at a "historic moment of confrontation against global terrorism".
In an address marking the second anniversary of the death of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Khamenei said the reality places a heavier burden of responsibility on the Iranian officials, from the leadership of the three government branches, to managers at all levels, and they bear a duty to enhance national cohesion and address the economic and livelihood concerns weighing on Iranian people.
On the same day, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that the United States is seeking to restart the war and still hopes Iran will surrender.
The U.S. movements show that despite economic and political pressure, "it has not abandoned its military objectives and is seeking to start a new war," he said.
Also on Wednesday, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that if the U.S. and Israeli "aggression" against the country restarts, the war will extend beyond the West Asia region.
"Although they attacked us with all the capabilities of their armies, we did not use all the capabilities," the IRGC said in a statement published on its official news outlet Sepah News.
On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned in a post on X that returning to war with Iran will result in many more surprises for the United States.
During a speech on the same day, Araghchi highlighted the constant communication and operational alignment maintained between the ministry and military commands.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States may strike Iran again, claiming he was only an hour away from deciding on an attack before postponing it at the request of U.S. allies in the Gulf.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said Iran's leaders were "begging" to make a deal, but warned that a new U.S. attack could take place in the coming days if no agreement is reached.
He said the timeline could be Friday, the weekend or early next week, stressing that Washington "can't let them have a new nuclear weapon."
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that "a lot of progress" has been made during talks toward a peace deal with Iran as neither side wants to see renewed military actions.
However, the United States remains "locked and loaded" to resume attacks on Iran if talks fail, he said, reiterating that it is Washington's core demand that Tehran never obtain a nuclear weapon.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari said Tuesday that the country has stepped up diplomatic efforts to support de-escalation and strengthen regional and international coordination amid continuing tensions in the region.
The spokesperson also highlighted Qatar's full support for Pakistan's efforts aimed at reaching an agreement that prevents a return to escalation.
On Feb 28, the United States and Israel launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East.
A ceasefire was reached between the warring parties on April 8, followed by one round of peace talks in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on April 11 and 12, which failed to yield an agreement.
Iran's supreme leader urges officials to address economic hardships
