US-Iran Update: Conflict May Resume As Ceasefire Nears Expiry

The US-Iran dispute could resume as the ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday, April 22. The tension between Washington and Tehran intensified on Tuesday as uncertainty grew with Iranian officials releasing strong statements.

Will US-Iran Dispute Resume?

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the chief negotiator of Tehran, gave an indication of a tougher approach and told that Iran is prepared for a stronger retaliation. In a statement on X, he wrotewrote, “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”

He also claimed that the U.S. President Donald Trump had weakened diplomacy. In addition, Qalibaf stated that Trump “seeks to turn this negotiating table – in his own imagination – into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering.”

These comments come as only hours are left for the two-week ceasefire. Netizens fear that hostilities would go back to usual without a deal being struck. Diplomatic momentum seems to have stalled after previous negotiations in Pakistan.

In the meantime, U.S. officials expect that JD Vance will make another visit to Pakistan to rejuvenate peace talks. Earlier this month, he visited Qalibaf to negotiate but reached no conclusion as US-Iran peace talks failed.

Iranian Officials Signal Millitary Preparedness

On the military front, the Iranian officials insisted that they’re prepared if war resumes. Ali Abdollahi, a senior commander who was in charge of joint operations between Iran army and Revolutionary Guards, denied U.S. accounts of the war.

His statement comes after Trump claimed that Iran violated the ceasefire agreement recently. He said that Iranian troops would refute any efforts to formulate “false narratives about the situation on the ground.”

Meanwhile, Washington has insisted that its campaign has reached its goals. Moreover, Trump has repeatedly announced that the conflict is mostly settled.

Nonetheless, Iranian leadership has been trying to maintain a strong image. Authorities said that its domestic power system is still intact despite the claims of the U.S. that it is highly disrupted.