Glass house, stones: Iranian commander threatens US forces in Mideast

Mowlavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi, said, "In my opinion, direct negotiation is more effective," after leading the Eid al-Fitr prayers in Zahedan, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

"Intermediaries cannot powerfully defend the country's interests and respond to the other side's doubts. Rather, the person with the pain and the problem can speak better and achieve a better result."

The Sunni leader, who has become famed for his fearless opposition to the government, made the comments on Monday following threats from US President Donald Trump to bomb Iran if it does not agree to a new nuclear deal.

He emphasized the importance of adapting policies to foster progress and better international relations, saying, "The success of all developed and developing countries and nations is the result of creating change, transformation, and innovation in laws and policies."

Abdolhamid's call for direct dialogue stands in contrast to the official stance of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who voiced his rejection of direct negotiations with the United States earlier in the day, although he indicated that indirect talks could continue.

Khamenei's position was underscored during his televised speech, where he also warned the US of a "strong blow" if it acted on Trump's bombing threat.

As Khamenei delivered his remarks, crowds present chanted, "Death to America."

Echoing Khamenei's stance, Friday prayer leaders across Iran, who serve as his representatives, have also condemned Trump's threats.

Mohammad Mehdi Hosseini Hamedani, Khamenei's representative and the Friday prayers leader of Karaj, said on Monday, "Our response to the heavy bombing threat is the repetition of the slogan 'Death to America.'"

President Masoud Pezeshkian has also rejected direct talks with Washington but left the door open for indirect negotiations.

“The response by the Supreme Leader to Trump’s letter was delivered to the US contact in Oman,” Pezeshkian said on Sunday.

“In that response, direct negotiations have been rejected, but regarding indirect talks, Iran has always been involved in such discussions, and the Supreme Leader has emphasized that indirect talks can still continue.”

Meanwhile, economic and political figures within Iran have warned that failure to engage with the US could deepen the country’s crisis.

Khamenei’s senior adviser Ali Larijani and leading economists in Tehran have urged policymakers to seek a resolution with Washington to ease sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy.

Earlier this year, Trump reinstated his “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran. Trump's maximum pressure approach in his first term, which started in 2018, pummeled Iran's economy, causing a dramatic decline in oil exports and skyrocketing inflation.

The Swiss diplomat was told that Iran would respond decisively to any such threats, according to IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News website.

The report referred to the envoy in Iran as the "caretaker of the embassy," implying the absence or unavailability of the Swiss ambassador.

Switzerland represents US interests in Iran since Washington and Tehran cut ties shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Swiss embassy in Tehran has been consistently relaying diplomatic communications between the Islamic Republic and the United States.

Earlier in the day, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman condemned Trump's threat of bombing Iran if the country failed to reach a new nuclear deal with Washington, calling it a "shocking affront" to the core principles of international peace and security.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei also warned that the United States would face a strong blow if it follows through on Trump’s threat to bomb the country.

Khamenei's warning, delivered in a televised speech marking the end of Ramadan, came a day after Trump told NBC News that if a deal was not reached, "there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before."

Iran International has put a request for comment to the Swiss foreign ministry.

"Iran has achieved a level of active deterrence in which any violation of its sovereignty will be met with a severe response," the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces said in a statement on Sunday marking the anniversary of the Islamic Republic's foundation.

The state-run English newspaper Tehran Times also reported that "Iranian missiles are loaded onto launchers in all underground missile cities and are ready for launch."

"Opening the Pandora's box will come at a heavy cost for the US government and its allies," the report added, citing information it had obtained.

Tehran Times is owned by Islamic Propagation Organization whose director is appointed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Trump on Sunday warned of bombing Iran if Tehran fails to reach a deal over its nuclear program.

"If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before," Trump was quoted as saying during a phone interview with NBC News' Kristen Welker.

Hours later, Trump told reporters he "would prefer a deal to the other alternative which I think everybody on this plane knows what that is. That's not going to be pretty."

On Saturday, a report by The Telegraph said Iran would strike a British-American naval base in the Indian Ocean if it were attacked by the US.

The report, which cited a senior Iranian military official, came after Washington deployed long-range bombers at the strategic airbase.

B-2 Spirit bombers have arrived at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia in Chagos Islands, a US Strategic Command spokesperson confirmed to Iran International earlier this week as Washington ramps up rhetoric against Iran.

In an apparent response to the deployment, the Iranian official told The Telegraph, "There will be no distinction in targeting British or American forces if Iran is attacked from any base in the region or within the range of Iranian missiles."

However, the Indian Ocean base is 3,800 kilometers from the Iran and Iranian ballistic missiles have a maximum range of 2,000 kilometers.

Footage received by Iran International shows smoke rising from the pumping station early Saturday, following a rally by farmers demanding access to Zayandeh Rud water — a long-promised resource they say has been diverted elsewhere.

“There’s been no release of water into the river despite repeated promises,” said one farmer at the protest, adding that local agriculture has been devastated by years of inaction.

Farmers in Isfahan have repeatedly accused the government of diverting their water to other provinces, particularly Yazd, while their own access to Zayandeh Rud — once the lifeblood of regional farming — remains restricted. The issue has sparked protests for years, often met with a heavy security response.

The disruption has triggered a major water emergency in Yazd, which is now facing what officials describe as red-level shortages for the population of well over half a million.

Mohammad-Javad Mahjoubi, head of Yazd’s regional water authority, said the pipeline was completely shut off after the attack and warned there was no estimate for when it might resume.

Jalal Alamdari, the managing director of Yazd’s water utility, described the situation as critical and confirmed that 13 mobile tankers had been deployed across the province.

Isfahan is considered one of the most critically affected provinces in Iran in terms of water scarcity, and the people of this region have repeatedly gathered and protested against the inefficient management of the Islamic Republic in addressing the issue.

In some cases, the protests have been met with repression by Iran's security forces. The first major act of sabotage on the pipeline occurred in 2012, tensions only intensifying since.

Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni acknowledged the broader crisis last week, calling water scarcity a “serious national issue” and urging citizens to cut back on usage.

Masoud Pezeshkian told his cabinet, "In this response, although the issue of direct negotiation between the two sides has been rejected, it has been stated that the path of indirect negotiation is open."

He emphasized that Iran has never avoided negotiations, and that past issues arose from breaches of promises by the US that need to be rectified to rebuild trust.

"[In the response] it has been emphasized that Iran has never avoided negotiation, and it was only bad faith that caused problems in this path, which must be compensated and trust rebuilt; it is the behavior of the Americans that determines the continuation of the negotiation path," Pezeshkian said.

Earlier reports indicated that Trump's letter proposed discussions on Iran's nuclear program, while Iranian sources said their response reiterated long-standing positions, including a refusal to negotiate on its missile program or regional alliances.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said on Thursday that Iran's response was conveyed through Oman, and that while direct talks were off the table under Trump’s so-called maximum pressure and military threats, indirect negotiations could continue.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry emphasized the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of international negotiations and correspondence as it confirmed the exchange of messages with the United States.