- A senior Iranian officer said war with the US could resume after Trump rejected Iran’s proposal
- Iran’s military claims full readiness for any US escalation or renewed conflict
- Trump questioned using force against Iran but later preferred negotiation on 'humanitarian grounds'
A senior Iranian military officer on Saturday said that it was "likely" that the war with the United States could resume after US President Donald Trump said he was not satisfied with an Iranian negotiating proposal.
According to Iran's Fars News, Mohammad Jafar Asadi, a senior figure in the Iranian military's central command, said, "a renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely." He told the publication that the recent actions and statements of US officials only aimed at "extricating themselves from the mess they have created".
"The actions and statements of US officials are primarily media-driven, aimed first at preventing a drop in oil prices and second at extricating themselves from the mess they have created," he said.
Asadi added that Iran's armed forces are "fully prepared" if the US plans for an escalation.
"The armed forces are fully prepared for any new adventures or foolishness from the Americans," he said.
Trump's "Blast The Hell Out Of Them" Remark
After Iran delivered the new draft to mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, Trump asked reporters, "Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever -- or do we want to try and make a deal?"
However, later he said that he would "prefer not" to take the first option "on a human basis".
Iran's judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, said on Friday that his country had "never shied away from negotiations" but would not accept an "imposition" of peace terms.
Strait Of Hormuz Situation
Iran has maintained a stranglehold on the strait since the war began, choking off major flows of oil, gas and fertiliser to the world economy, while the United States has imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
Earlier in the day, Trump said that the US Navy is acting like "pirates" in waters and boasted about how operations take place while seizing ships amid the blockade of Iranian ports.
"We ... land on top of it and we took over the ship. We took over the cargo, took over the oil. It's a very profitable business," Trump said while addressing a rally in Florida.
As the crowd cheered, he said, "We're like pirates. We're sort of like pirates. But we're not playing games."
Meanwhile, Iran has vowed to maintain its chokehold on the strait as long as Washington continues to blockade its ports.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
