France says Iran military clash 'almost inevitable' without deal

US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff reacted "great" to a spirited statement by Iran's foreign minister on X before swiftly deleting the post.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had written four paragraphs lamenting Washington's exit from a nuclear deal and recent talk of attacking Iran.

"10 years after signing the JCPOA—and 7 years after the US unilaterally walked away from it—there is not ONE SHRED OF PROOF that Iran has violated this commitment," Araghchi wrote, referring to a 2015 agreement from which the United States withdrew in Trump's first term.

"Diplomatic engagement worked in the past and can still work. BUT, it should be clear to all that there is—by definition—no such thing as a 'military option' let alone a 'military solution'," he added.

Witkoff, who has spearheaded talks for Trump in Israel-Hamas and Ukraine-Russia conflicts as part of the populist President's bid to wind down foreign reports, replied simply: "Great".

It was not immediately clear if the expunged monosyllable, which marks the first public interaction between Tehran and the Trump administration, was meant in earnest, irony or error.

Moscow deems 'illegal' the threats against Iran's nuclear infrastructure, Reuters said on Wednesday citing the Russian foreign ministry.

The report follows a discussion between the deputy foreign ministers of Russia and Iran, Sergei Ryabkov and Majid Takht Ravanchi on Wednesday in which the sides accused Western countries of "artificially and unreasonably" inflaming tensions over Tehran's nuclear program.

Using military force against Iran and threatening to strike its nuclear infrastructure would be "illegal and unacceptable," the Russian foreign ministry said, as they would cause "large-scale and irreversible radiological and humanitarian consequences" for the Middle East and the world.

A senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has warned that Tehran could rethink its defense policy if the country's nuclear sites are hit, in yet another signal by Iranian officials that an atomic bomb could be pursued.

“If threats against our nuclear program materialize, we will reconsider our defense doctrine and the nature of our nuclear program. The meaning of this reconsideration is very clear” the IRGC’s deputy for political affairs Yadollah Javani was quoted by state media on Wednesday.

"The enemy's military action would take Iran's nuclear industry to a new stage, and then there must be a new definition for the Islamic Republic and the axis of resistance in regional and international equations," Javani added, referring to Tehran's armed allies in the region.

"The effects and consequences of Iran's strong counterattack will definitely create a new chapter in the equations and trends of developments in the region and the world."

US secretary of treasury Scott Bessent has asked some of the world’s biggest banks to help Washington in enforcing Iran-related sanctions aimed at cutting Tehran's oil revenue, Bloomberg reported Wednesday citing a transcribe of Bessent's remarks that it said has obtained.

"Our strategy is clear: we will apply economic pressure to the maximum extent possible to disrupt the Iranian regime’s access to the financial resources that fuel its destabilizing activities,” Bloomberg quoted Bessent as saying.

“This includes the billions of dollars each year that Iran generates via its oil sales.”

The leader of an Iran-aligned militia in Iraq warned that a conflict between Tehran and Washington could engulf the Middle East.

"Any war that might break out between Iran and the United States would not be limited to the two parties to the conflict, but would drag the entire region into the fire." Hadi Al-Amiri, the leader of the military and political group the Badr Organization said according to Iraqi state media.

"Any war against Iran will not be a picnic; rather, it will ignite the entire region," he added.

Joe Wilson, a US lawmaker from South Carolina, said on Wednesday that Tehran controls Baghdad citing remarks he attributed to Al-Amiri.

France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said military confrontation with Iran is almost inevitable if a deal is not reached, hours after a rare defense cabinet meeting over Iran in Paris.

"We only have a few months until the expiration of this (2015) accord," he told a parliamentary hearing referring to the now-defunct Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) from which US president Donald Trump withdrew during his first term.

"In case of failure, a military confrontation would seem to be almost inevitable," Barrot said, adding that new EU sanctions on Iran linked to the detention of foreign citizens would be approved in the coming weeks.

Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with his Dutch counterpart Casper Veldkamp on Wednesday, according to Iranian media.

Araghchi warned that any violation of Iran's territorial integrity will be met with a swift and decisive response.

His remarks come as the US boosts its military presence in the Middle East.

Citing open-source aviation data, a Haaretz analysis reports that the US military has undertaken its most significant offensive deployment to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023.

The analysis details that in March, at least 140 heavy US transport aircraft originating from key US military bases landed in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan, with mid-flight data indicating most were carrying equipment.

This buildup marks an approximate 50 percent increase over the previous monthly peak in US military flights to the region and includes the arrival of fighter jets, such as A-10 ground-attack aircraft deployed to Jordan and stealth F-35s sent to Saudi Arabia, accompanied by transport and refueling planes identified through flight-tracking platforms.

Satellite imagery also reveals the deployment of at least six B-2 stealth bombers, roughly a third of the US Air Force's fleet, to the US base on Diego Garcia, a location previously used for bombing missions in Afghanistan and Iraq within striking distance of both Iran and Yemen.

Ahmad Zeidabadi, a prominent political commentator in Tehran, has warned that placing excessive emphasis on Iran’s military capabilities—along with threats to develop nuclear weapons—could backfire and undermine the very deterrence it aims to achieve.

In a post on his Telegram channel, Zeidabadi wrote, “Military power aimed at confronting what is referred to as the ‘global order,’ if it exceeds its conventional bounds, turns into a threat itself rather than serving as a deterrent.”

Following widespread reports of Ali Larijani's warning that US threats could push Iran towards nuclear weapons, the advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader today highlighted another part of his Monday interview, urging President Trump to consider mutual economic interests with Tehran.

Larijani, in remarks republished on social media platform X, said, "Mr. Trump is a talented person who has been able to become so wealthy in his business. The US can define economic interests with Iran."

He added, "Trump says he is peace-loving, so he should not talk about threats and war. An attack on Iran is not without consequences, and we have experienced military commanders."

These comments, also part of his Monday interview with state television, come after Larijani explicitly said that a US or Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities would compel Tehran to alter its decision-making on nuclear weapons.

He had said that while Iran currently maintains it is not pursuing nuclear arms and IAEA inspections can continue indefinitely, external threats could force a change, driven by public demand for national security.

Larijani's earlier remarks, widely seen as a significant statement from a senior figure in Iran's establishment, followed US President Trump's threats of potential military action against Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached.

Kuwait's Emir has assured the Iranian president that Kuwait will not allow any aggressive action to be launched against another country from its territory, according to a readout of the call published by Iran's state media.

During a phone call where the leaders exchanged Eid al-Fitr greetings, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah said, "The government and people of Kuwait, based on the constitution, will under no circumstances accept that an act of aggression be carried out from our soil against another country, and this position will never be affected by any factor," IRNA reported.

President Masoud Pezeshkian responded by saying that Iran, based on its Islamic beliefs, is ready for any cooperation to expand relations with Kuwait and other neighbors in various fields to deepen ties.

He also said that in resolving tensions, Iran will act solely based on rights and fairness, adhering strictly to these principles.

The Kuwaiti Emir's remarks, as reported by the Iranian media, come against a backdrop of reports indicating that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait have privately informed Iran they will not permit the United States to use their air bases for potential military action against Iran.

According to a Saudi source cited by an i24NEWS correspondent on X, Riyadh and Kuwait specifically conveyed to Tehran that this prohibition includes support operations such as refueling or reconnaissance for any such attack.

In a separate call with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Pezeshkian conveyed his hopes that the blessings of Ramadan would bolster unity among Islamic nations, expressing Iran's ambition to enhance ties with neighboring and Islamic countries.

France held a rare defense cabinet meeting over Iran on Wednesday, in which President Macron discussed Tehran’s nuclear program with key ministers and experts.

Such a cabinet meeting dedicated to a specific subject is rare, highlighting concerns among Washington's European allies about a possible attack by US and Israel on Iran's nuclear facilities.

France, Britain, and Germany have recently intensified efforts to pressure Iran to return to nuclear program negotiations.

Several rounds of talks, including technical-level discussions last week, have been held to establisha foundation for a potential agreement.

The European powers had aimed to persuade Iran to negotiate new restrictions on its nuclear activities, hoping for a deal by August to allow time for setting new limits and lifting sanctions before the 2015 accord's expiration in October 2025.

Sources close to the US administration have said that Iran would be gone by September if it does not agree to a nuclear deal and begin dismantling its nuclear program, Daily Express reported.

"There is a clarity of purpose here. Iran's time is running out,” the tabloid cited an unnamed official with links to the Trump administration.

"If it (Iran) doesn't respond to President Trump's generous terms in return for allowing a full audit of its nuclear capabilities and the dismantling of those capabilities, Iran will be gone by September. It's as simple as that."

US President Donald Trump warned Iran of potential bombing if an agreement is not reached. Trump has also reportedly ordered the deployment of additional strategic air squadrons and a second aircraft carrier group to the Middle East.

A former senior Iranian lawmaker has criticized the United States and other Western powers for using the term “proxies” to describe militant groups in the Middle East backed by the Islamic Republic.

Mahmoud Abbasszadeh Meshkini, a hardliner, told the semi-official ISNA news agency: “Western powers, in an effort to deny the political virtues that the Islamic Republic of Iran has offered to the world, have turned to labeling tactics—using the term ‘proxy’ to describe heroic and resilient nations.”

Tehran refers to groups such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah and various Shi’ite militias in Iraq as part of the “Resistance Front,” while providing them with extensive financial, military, and political support.

The United States has called on Iran to stop funding and arming these groups as part of a peace proposal put forward by President Donald Trump since his return to the White House.

But Meshkini pushed back, saying, “If by the term ‘proxy’ the United States means that people around the world, inspired by the Islamic Republic of Iran, have come to value freedom, independence, and resistance—and have gained self-confidence—then we will strive to make the whole world our proxy.”

A threatened Iranian attack on British military facilities in the Chagos islands would spark a wider Middle East conflict, according to former UK military intelligence commander PhilipIngram.

His warning comes after Iranian forces recently called for a preemptive strike on the Diego Garcia UK-US pacific security outpost.

Ingram told Daily Mail,“Iran has the capability on paper to strike Diego Garcia. They know the US would respond by destroying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps across Iran."

According to an Iranian military official cited by The Telegraph, Iran would strike the British-American naval base in the Indian Ocean if it is attacked by the US.

Dismissing the possibility of such an attack, Ingram said, “I think Iran is using rhetoric to threaten the Chagos Islands. They will have observed the debate in the UK and elsewhere about the islands' future.Fortunately, it is merely words on Tehran's part and intended to signal strength to their regional allies.”

The White House is seriously considering Iran's proposal for indirect nuclear talks, while significantly increasing US forces in the Middle East, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

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The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on six firms and two individuals in Iran, China and the United Arab Emirates accused of supplying drone components to Iran’s Quds Aviation Industries and its military partners.

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Iran's regional influence network has been significantly degraded, presenting the United States with a crucial opportunity to foster a more stable Middle East, according to a Foreign Affairs opinion piece published on Wednesday.

The analysis – penned by Dana Stroul from with Washington Institute for Near East Policy, argues that recent Israeli military successes against Iranian-backed proxies and even within Iran have left Tehran more vulnerable than at any time in decades.

The piece contends that key figures within Iran's network have been eliminated, and substantial numbers of their fighters have been taken off the battlefield. Furthermore, arsenals have been depleted, and Iran's military-industrial capabilities have been damaged.

The author highlights the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as a key ally for Tehran, disrupting a crucial supply route. Failed missile attacks on Israel in 2024 are also cited as evidence of weakened deterrence and declining morale among Iran's affiliates.

The analysis suggests that this environment creates a window for establishing a new political framework in the region, strengthening governance and replacing leaders susceptible to Iranian influence.

However, the Stroulcautions that preventing Iran from regaining its footing requires more than just military action and cannot be solely left to Israel. Instead, the United States is positioned to lead a political stabilization process involving diplomacy, security assurances, and economic support for emerging leaders and populations seeking to break free from Tehran's sway.

The opinion piece criticizes President Trump's current strategy, which heavily emphasizes sanctions and military strikes, arguing that a more comprehensive approach involving multilateral engagement and foreign assistance is necessary to capitalize on Iran's weakened state.

The United States warned Iran that it would take "decisive action" to defend its personnel and interests in the Middle East, a statement that coincided with reports of the deployment of stealthy B-2 bombers and a second aircraft carrier to the region.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said, "Should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the United States will take decisive action to defend our people."

As many as six US B-2 stealth bombers have been deployed to a US-British military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, US officials said on Tuesday.

The deployment of the B-2s, which possess stealth technology and the capability to carry the heaviest US conventional and nuclear bombs, places them in an ideal strategic position to operate in the Middle East, according to experts cited by Reuters.

Republican lawmakers on Tuesday urged a tougher line on Washington's Mideast adversary Tehran and outlined plans for new legislation targeting the Islamic Republic as tensions have soared in recent days.

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