Mohsen Rezaei, a high-ranking adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, declared on Wednesday that the United States has reached a “complete deadlock" in its dealings with Tehran and issued strong warnings about the consequences of any renewed military conflict.
Rezaei issued the threats while outlining what he described as limited options available to Washington.
“The least costly option for the United States is to accept Iran’s 10 conditions. If the US enters a war, it should expect that we will take a large number of their forces captive," he said, as quoted by Iranian media outlets.
Rezaei suggested that the US might attempt to intensify pressure on Iran through economic measures and a naval blockade while simultaneously trying to create internal unrest within the country.
He predicted that any fresh round of fighting would likely center on Iran’s southern coast, regions surrounding Isfahan, and western parts of the country.
The Iranian official further cautioned that Tehran could be subjected to aerial bombing campaigns and what he termed “assassinations," claiming these represent some of the remaining tools at Washington’s disposal.
Rezaei’s comments came hours after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s most recent proposal to end the war, telling Axios that he intends to maintain a naval blockade on Iran until Tehran agrees to terms addressing American concerns over its nuclear program.
Trump indicated that, at present, he views the blockade as a more effective tool than direct military action, telling Axios, "The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing."
The Iranian proposal rejected by Trump envisions reopening the Strait of Hormuz while postponing discussions on Iran’s nuclear activities. A US official told Reuters on Monday that Trump is not satisfied with the new Iranian proposal, citing its failure to adequately address Tehran’s nuclear program.