Iran Warns of Longer War with US as Gulf States Brace for Renewed Escalation

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Gulf states are preparing for the possibility of renewed military escalation between Iran and the United States, as Tehran warned that another round of fighting could last longer than the previous conflict and US President Donald Trump signalled that further strikes against Iranian targets remained an option.

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said on Sunday that Abu Dhabi hoped diplomatic efforts would produce a breakthrough but was also preparing for the worst.

"We're hoping that there is a diplomatic breakthrough," Gargash told a conference in Manama.

"It is not the interest of the region to go through another round... But I think we're also, as we've shown before, braced for the worst."

Gargash's remarks reflect growing concern among Gulf countries that a renewed confrontation between Washington and Tehran could further destabilize the region, particularly as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain uncertain.

Iran warns of a longer conflict

Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said on Sunday that Tehran would not allow Washington to determine the timing or conditions under which a potential future conflict would end.

"A potential future war could last longer than previous conflict, and the American president would not be in a position to dictate the timing or the conditions of its conclusion," Akraminia said, according to Iranian state television.

His remarks followed Trump's comments suggesting that the United States could quickly eliminate what he described as remaining targets in Iran.

"We still have to take care of, I would say one or two sites, but we can do that in 10 minutes," Trump told reporters at his Florida residence.

The US president also referred to Pickaxe "Raas al-Faas" Mountain, a suspected underground nuclear complex, saying it would need to be addressed and could be targeted rapidly.

The warnings come amid continuing uncertainty over diplomatic efforts to end the regional war, which began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes against Iran.

Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region, while Iran-aligned armed groups became involved in the fighting in Lebanon and Yemen.

Tehran threatens wider confrontation

Iranian military and political officials have increasingly warned that any renewed US or Israeli attack could trigger a broader confrontation.

On Sunday, Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi reiterated a warning delivered a day earlier in a written message by Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

"In a conflict with America, there are no geographical limitations; a vast theatre has been defined for inflicting damage upon the enemy," Mohebbi said, according to Iranian state television.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, called on Washington to pursue diplomacy, saying Tehran hoped the other side would "exercise rationality and choose diplomacy."

He added that Iran remained prepared for both defence and diplomatic engagement, according to the official IRNA news agency.

The statements reflect Tehran's attempt to combine military deterrence with diplomatic pressure as efforts to revive negotiations continue.

Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, disclosed on Saturday that he had received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance seeking to revive talks between the two sides.

Rezaei described a positive change in Washington's diplomatic tone but said he had not yet responded to the communication.

He also reiterated Tehran's conditions for negotiations, warning that Iran would neither reopen the Strait of Hormuz nor enter talks unless its demands were addressed.

Those demands include the unfreezing of Iranian assets held abroad, an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, the lifting of longstanding sanctions, and an end to the war on all fronts.

Tehran residents express mixed reactions

In Tehran, residents expressed differing reactions to the growing threats of renewed conflict.

Mohadese, a 27-year-old health inspector, told AFP that the latest developments were worrying but that ordinary citizens had little influence over the situation.

"The news coming in is truly worrying. However, no matter how much I, as an ordinary citizen, immerse myself in these reports, there is nothing I can actually do about it," she said.

Others appeared less concerned. Ebrahim, a 48-year-old street vendor in central Tehran, said he was not afraid of another war, describing decades of confrontation as part of everyday life in Iran.

"We do not fear another war; we have been at war for 48 years now -- we are always at war," he said.

The strategic Strait of Hormuz remains central to the confrontation, with Iran asserting control over the vital international shipping route and repeatedly targeting vessels attempting to pass without its authorization.

The United States, meanwhile, has imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports, adding another layer of pressure to the standoff.

The waterway is one of the world's most important energy corridors, making any prolonged disruption a potential threat to global oil supplies, shipping and energy markets.

With Washington maintaining military pressure, Tehran warning of a potentially wider and longer conflict, and Gulf states preparing for renewed escalation, the region faces growing uncertainty over whether diplomatic efforts can prevent another round of fighting.