Tehran, Iran – Iranian authorities have issued a stark warning, stating that the ongoing United States naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz could jeopardize the current pause in hostilities, even as mediators strive for a diplomatic resolution.
Major General Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), asserted, “If the aggressor and terrorist US seeks to continue its illegal action of imposing a naval blockade in the region and to create insecurity for Iran’s commercial vessels and oil tankers, this action by the US will constitute a prelude to a violation of the ceasefire.”
Abdollahi, whose organization plays a significant role in the conflict and political decision-making, was quoted by state media on Wednesday as declaring, “The powerful armed forces of Iran will not allow any exports or imports to continue in the area of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea.”
These remarks follow the US military’s announcement that its naval blockade has “completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea” and will persist throughout the two-week ceasefire, which was declared a week prior.
US President Donald Trump informed Fox News that the conflict is “close to over” and hinted at a second round of face-to-face discussions with Iran in Pakistan in the coming days. However, US media outlets have also reported the deployment of thousands more American soldiers to the Middle East aboard warships.
Vice President JD Vance is anticipated to lead the US delegation should a second round of talks materialize, though no specific date has been finalized.
Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, arrived in Iran on Wednesday as part of a Pakistani delegation. This visit comes after “numerous messages” were exchanged with the US through mediators since the Iranian delegation returned from Islamabad on Sunday.
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters that the objective of any future talks would be to “fully cease the war and realize the rights of Iran,” in addition to lifting the sanctions imposed on the country.
He further stressed that Iran has no intention of developing a nuclear weapon but insists on its right to pursue nuclear energy for civilian purposes under United Nations safeguards, adding that the level and type of enrichment are open for negotiation.
Baghaei also reiterated Iran’s criticism of Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, for statements and reports concerning Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran believes these actions facilitated Israel’s 12-day war in June and the ongoing conflict initiated by the US and Israel on February 28.
On Wednesday, Iran’s parliament speaker and former IRGC and police commander Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led the Iranian delegation at the weekend talks in Pakistan, held a rare phone call with United Arab Emirates Vice President Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to the UAE’s WAM news agency, they discussed “regional developments and ways to de-escalate tensions in the region.”
The UAE and other Gulf Arab states experienced severe Iranian attacks before the ceasefire, with Iran claiming it targeted the US military presence in those nations.
“Never give concessions”
Iranian authorities have maintained a defiant stance, indicating that their supporters, who have demonstrated strength in street protests over the past six weeks, would not tolerate major concessions on uranium enrichment and the Strait of Hormuz.
Messages from Iran’s hardline-controlled state television and numerous members of parliament have vehemently opposed negotiations with Washington, promoting the narrative that Iran holds the upper hand after enduring 40 days of conflict with military superpowers.
Speaking to supporters gathered on Tuesday night in Saveh, southwest of Tehran, parliament’s deputy speaker, Ali Nikzad, asserted that Iran considers control over the Strait of Hormuz a sovereign and legal matter.
“We will never give concessions to our enemy,” he stated.
Esmaeil Kowsari, a member of parliament’s national security commission and former senior IRGC commander, deemed it “impossible” for the government to accept “even one clause” of the 15 points outlined by the Trump administration for achieving peace.
“We will participate in negotiations to show to the world that they must enter the field and stop this instability. We know the Americans are not trustworthy and will not remain committed to agreements,” he told the state-run IRNA news agency.
For his part, President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that Tehran will continue dialogue within the framework of international law and has blamed Washington for “excessive demands” that have derailed any agreement, including on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Mohammad Khatami, a former reformist president who has been sidelined for years, released a statement late on Tuesday, signaling that the IRGC must now transform battlefield achievements into a “lasting peace” that would enable Iran’s development.
“We have entered a new and more sensitive phase in which we must, free from overexcitement and extremism, consolidate our current military and political achievements; and, through a precise and realistic understanding of society and of the necessities of the post-war period and the new global economic and political developments, remove the shadow of threat, aggression, and war from Iran,” he wrote.
More arrests, confiscations announced
Iranian authorities have continued to announce the enforcement of death sentences, alongside a significant number of arrests and asset confiscations.
The judiciary has linked some executions to nationwide protests in January, during which thousands were killed amid an internet blackout. Others were tied to national security crimes and various other charges.
Norway-based Iran Human Rights and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty reported on Monday that Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025 and were on track to execute even more this year during the conflict with the US and Israel.
This figure represents a 68 percent increase compared to the previous year and marks the highest per-capita number of executions globally, with the total number second only to China due to its much larger population.
Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence announced on Wednesday the arrest of 30 “mercenaries linked with the Mossad” spy agency of Israel. It also released footage of seized handguns and ammunition, along with the “confessions” of a man with a blurred-out face, identified only as the “head of a secessionist terrorist group.”
The judiciary also named another foreign-based Iranian national on Wednesday whose assets, including cash, an apartment building, and a vehicle in Hamedan, were confiscated due to alleged activities against Iran’s government abroad. Individuals within the country have also faced asset seizures for dissident behavior.
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