Iran accuses US of seeking to start a new war after Donald Trump's threats
Tensions in the Middle East have again heated up after Iran’s top negotiator accused the United States of seeking to provoke a new war. The statement comes in response to Donald Trump’s threats to strike back unless Tehran agrees to a peace deal. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned of a strong response to any aggression, emphasising that enemy movement—both overt and covert—signals that the US has not abandoned its military objectives despite substantial economic and political pressure.
‘The enemy is trying to start a new war,’ Ghalibaf said in an audio message broadcast by Iranian media on Wednesday (21 May 2026).
Meanwhile, President Trump has offered a contrasting stance by keeping diplomatic channels open, claiming the US is close to finalising negotiations with Iran. ‘We will either have a deal, or we will do something rather worse. But hopefully that will not happen,’ Trump told reporters, adding that he is in no rush and aims to minimise loss of life.
Although the April 8 ceasefire halted direct conflict between the US-Israel and Iran, rhetoric has replaced the physical battlefield. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that any renewed aggression could widen the regional conflict far beyond the Middle East.
Diplomatic channels remain active with Pakistan acting as mediator. Iran’s official news agency IRNA reported visits by Pakistan’s Interior Minister to Tehran twice in a week as efforts to formally end the war.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan praised Trump for keeping diplomacy alive and urged Iran to seize the opportunity to avoid dangerous consequences of further escalation.
Trump faces domestic pressure over energy costs as prices rise for American consumers. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has drained pre-war oil stocks and sparked protests globally, including in Kenya, as fuel price hikes provoke unrest with casualties.
Separately, Israeli Army Chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir says the force remains at the highest alert level, warning that the situation on the ground remains highly fluid and dangerous. (AFP/I-2)
Iranian parliament is reportedly weighing a US$58 million bounty for Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu as retaliation for the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Pentagon has postponed sending troops to Poland amid Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policies which have reduced thousands of US military personnel in Europe.
Trump has threatened to launch a new strike on Iran in the coming days if peace talks fail to reach an agreement. Netanyahu has revisited the possibility of a new war with Iran in two security cabinet meetings following discussions with the US president.
Oil prices briefly rose to around US$113 a barrel before easing to around US$109 as Trump cancelled the attack to pursue diplomacy. Market analysis continues below.
Iran warns of opening a new front if attacked again by Israel and the US, and asserts continued control of the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has also established a new body to manage operations in the Hormuz Strait amid rising tensions with the United States and threats to global energy distribution.
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