Tehran: Iran has issued a stern warning that its confrontation with Israel is far from over, declaring that hostilities could erupt again without warning. Senior political and military leaders in Tehran have made it clear that the present calm is not a peace agreement but only a temporary pause in a conflict that continues to simmer.
First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref described the current situation as highly unstable, stressing that the so-called ceasefire does not hold any real value. “We are not under a ceasefire; we are in a pause in hostility. At any moment, clashes could resume and we are ready,” Aref said. His words underscore Iran’s preparedness to return to the battlefield if provoked, amplifying fears of another round of violence.
Adding weight to these warnings, Yahya Rahim Safavi, senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated that Iran considers itself still on the brink of war. “We are not under truce; we are on the cusp of war. It could erupt whenever with no protocols, no bounds, and no agreements between us, Israel, or even the U.S.,” he declared. His remarks reflect the uncompromising tone of Tehran’s leadership and highlight the absence of any structured framework to prevent further escalation.
The current state of uncertainty traces back to Israel’s massive air assault on June 13, which struck Iran’s nuclear-enrichment sites. That attack killed top Iranian military personnel, including Major General Mohammad Bakhiri, and several nuclear scientists. The loss was perceived in Tehran as a direct attempt to cripple Iran’s strategic capabilities.
Iran retaliated with precision strikes against Israel, targeting the northern port city of Haifa and the prestigious Weizmann Institute, which plays a crucial role in Israel’s scientific and technological infrastructure. These strikes demonstrated Tehran’s resolve to hit back with force and raised alarm across the international community about the widening scope of the confrontation.
The conflict widened when the United States entered the battlefield, launching aerial attacks on Israeli nuclear facilities. The U.S. later faced significant diplomatic criticism for escalating the confrontation and has since attempted to recalibrate its role by pushing for a ceasefire. Despite these efforts, both Tehran and Jerusalem have shown little interest in compromise, keeping the possibility of renewed hostilities dangerously high.
The warnings from Iran signal that the Middle East stands at a volatile crossroads. With neither side committed to formal agreements or security protocols, even a minor provocation could spiral into a large-scale war. Analysts caution that unless strong international mediation emerges, the conflict could intensify with devastating consequences for the region and beyond.