Iran’s army voices readiness for potential renewed US attack IRGC says US ships in Indian Ocean could be targeted Tehran warns US, Israel of ‘surprises’ as it touts stronger military capabilities Says it seized US underwater vehicle.
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN - US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he expected further talks with Iran this week despite rejecting Tehran’s latest proposal for ending the conflict, while warning that the option of renewed US military action remained on the table.
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In a phone interview with Axios, Trump said US negotiators were expected to engage in another round of talks with Iran in the coming days. “I expect more talks with Iran this week,” he said, adding that Tehran wanted a deal but that its proposal was not acceptable to him.
Trump said Iran was seeking an agreement similar to what Washington might have accepted a year ago but had “overplayed their hand”. Asked whether he was considering renewed US strikes against Iran, Trump replied: “I am always thinking about it.”
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Trump’s comments came a day after he rejected an Iranian proposal conveyed through mediators during indirect negotiations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
According to reports on the indirect negotiations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conveyed Tehran’s conditions to US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner through Qatari mediators.
Iran proposed a seven-day roadmap under which it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume broader nuclear negotiations. Tehran, however, linked the move to reciprocal US steps, including lifting the naval blockade, easing sanctions affecting Iranian oil exports and restoring a regional ceasefire.
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The proposal therefore represents a significant difference in the starting positions of the two sides: Iran is placing the Strait of Hormuz and the blockade at the centre of negotiations, while the Trump administration is seeking commitments on Iran’s nuclear programme and other security issues.
Trump rejected the proposal on Saturday, but the rejection did not end indirect diplomacy. Qatar and other regional mediators have continued contacts with both sides, with further meetings expected.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Tehran had heard Trump’s initial reaction but was still waiting for a formal US position through the mediators.
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“We have heard the first reaction from the US president, but nothing has yet been conveyed to us by the mediators,” Araghchi said. He added that Tehran would decide its next step after receiving Washington’s definitive position.
Araghchi also indicated that reopening the Strait of Hormuz and moving ahead with negotiations remained conditional on Iran’s demands being addressed.
This leaves room for further indirect diplomacy even though Trump has publicly rejected the current proposal.
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At the same time, Iranian military officials have issued increasingly strong warnings against any new US or Israeli military action.
Iranian armed forces spokesman Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said Iran had strengthened its military capabilities through greater reliance on asymmetric warfare and domestically developed defence technology.
He claimed Iranian missiles and drones had become more advanced and powerful and warned that Tehran had “surprises” for any potential attacker. Iranian state media quoted him as saying the armed forces were in a strong position and prepared to respond to renewed aggression.
The significance of the statement is that Tehran is simultaneously keeping the diplomatic channel open while publicly signalling military preparedness.
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy official also issued a direct warning to Washington.
Ali Mohammadi, the IRGC Navy’s deputy for political affairs, said that if another war broke out, Iranian forces would target US naval assets, including US ships and destroyers in the Indian Ocean.
His remarks were made in the context of the continuing dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, through which a major share of the world’s oil trade passes. The warning was therefore broader than the immediate waters around the strait and signalled that Iran could seek to expand the geographical scope of any military confrontation.
The IRGC Navy separately claimed that it had seized a US-made Remus 600 autonomous underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media said the vehicle had allegedly been conducting espionage and was captured through an operation involving intelligence and electronic-warfare capabilities. Iranian officials said the vehicle had been handed to military specialists who would attempt to retrieve its stored information.
Because this is an Iranian military claim, it should be attributed in any newspaper copy rather than presented as independently established fact.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has also expressed deep reservations about negotiations with Washington. In comments reported by Al Jazeera, he said Iran no longer trusted talks with the United States, arguing that previous diplomatic contacts had been followed by attacks and sanctions.
Pezeshkian has also accused Washington and Israel of trying to deepen divisions among Muslim countries and urged Islamic states not to allow outside powers to exploit regional differences.
Alongside military and diplomatic pressure, Washington is continuing its economic campaign against Tehran.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration’s “Operation Economic Outcast” was producing results, pointing to restrictions affecting Iranian airlines and financial transactions.
Bessent said Türkiye and Oman had halted Mahan Air flights, while the UAE had suspended flights operated by Iranian airlines. He also said major banks in Türkiye and the UAE had stopped transactions with Iran.
Earlier this week, Bessent said Washington was applying unprecedented economic pressure on Iran and warned businesses and financial institutions dealing with Tehran that they could face US action.