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3. IRGC Downplays Chances of Renewed War With U.S. Amid Fragile Iran Ceasefire Talks

A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official said Wednesday that the likelihood of renewed war with the United States remains low, while warning that Tehran remains fully prepared to respond militarily to any new attack.

“The possibility of war is low because of the enemy’s weakness,” Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy political chief of the IRGC Navy, was quoted as saying by Iran’s Tasnim news agency. “The armed forces are lying in wait with full magazines,” he added.

Akbarzadeh also issued a direct warning regarding Iran’s southern coastline and strategic maritime routes.

“Do not doubt that we will turn the area from Chabahar to Mahshahr into a graveyard for aggressors,” he said, referring to two locations stretching across Iran’s southern coast near the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Vance Signals Optimism on Nuclear Deal

For his part, U.S. Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism Wednesday that Iran could ultimately agree not to develop nuclear weapons as part of a future agreement with Washington.

Speaking to NBC, Vance said he was “very optimistic” Tehran would accept conditions preventing it from pursuing a nuclear weapon.

However, he noted that the more difficult issue remained whether Iran would agree to a monitoring and verification mechanism capable of ensuring it would not violate any future deal.

Iran Accuses U.S. of Violating Ceasefire

Despite the relative calm established under the April ceasefire, tensions remain high.

On Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of violating the ceasefire after overnight American airstrikes reportedly targeted southern Iran.

In a statement, the ministry said the “terrorist U.S. military” had committed a “serious violation of the ceasefire” in Hormozgan province over the past 48 hours, warning that Tehran “will not leave any evil unanswered and will not hesitate to defend its people.”

The accusation followed earlier announcements by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which said American forces had targeted missile-launching sites in southern Iran as well as IRGC boats allegedly attempting to plant explosives in the Strait of Hormuz.

Negotiations Continue in Doha

Meanwhile, Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was in Doha alongside Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati for discussions related to ongoing negotiations and the framework of a preliminary agreement with Washington.

According to Tasnim, Iranian negotiators are seeking the release of approximately $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets abroad as part of broader efforts to finalize an agreement aimed at ending the conflict with the United States.

Estimates of Iran’s frozen foreign assets vary widely, with unofficial figures ranging between $100 billion and $123 billion.