Tensions between Iran and the United States intensified on Wednesday after Iran’s Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned that all American military bases in the region would be targeted if hostilities broke out. The statement comes amid faltering efforts to revive a nuclear deal, with President Donald Trump expressing diminished optimism over reaching an agreement.
Nasirzadeh’s remarks, made ahead of a sixth round of talks expected later this week, signaled a more aggressive stance from Tehran. “If a conflict is imposed on us, all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” he warned, as reported by Reuters.
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Meanwhile, President Trump, in a podcast interview, admitted that his confidence in securing a deal had waned. While he maintained the US would not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, he also reiterated his preference for diplomacy over military conflict. “It would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying,” he said on Pod Force One.
Iranian leaders remained steadfast on their terms. President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed that while Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons, it would not surrender its right to conduct nuclear research. Echoing this stance, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that uranium enrichment would continue under international oversight, insisting the program remained peaceful.
As both sides prepare for the next round of negotiations — with the US eyeing a Thursday start and Iran proposing Sunday in Oman — the window for diplomacy appears narrow. Yet Araghchi struck a note of cautious hope, saying an agreement was “within reach — and could be achieved rapidly” if goodwill prevails.
