Iran ready for war, still open to diplomacy

by WILL COOPER
Special contributor
NEW YORK, (CAJ News) – IRAN has declared itself prepared for renewed war with the United States while insisting that diplomacy remains possible, as Tehran faces continuing military and political pressure from Washington and Israel.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the warning on Sunday during an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press.

Asked whether Iran was prepared for another conflict, he said: “We are fully prepared for the war to be resumed. We stand firm in the face of any new aggression, even if it comes to a doomsday war.”

He added: “At the same time, we stand ready for diplomacy. It is up to President Trump to choose.”

Tehran’s preparations are rooted in what Iranian officials describe as defence against external aggression.

The latest US-Israeli war began on 28 February, when Washington and Israel launched unprovoked attacks against Iran.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly said Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon, while his administration has defended military action as necessary to prevent that outcome.

The White House says preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon is a longstanding US policy.

Iran, however, argues that the conflict was imposed upon it and that it is entitled to defend itself.

President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly in New York that Iran “has never started a war” and described its military response as defensive.

He said Tehran wants nuclear technology for peaceful development and defensive strength to deter further attacks.

Pezeshkian also accused Washington and its allies of applying double standards to nuclear issues.

He pointed to Israel’s widely reported nuclear arsenal, estimated by experts at up to 200 warheads, while Israel maintains a policy of nuclear ambiguity and is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Iran, by contrast, is an NPT member and has faced extensive international scrutiny of its nuclear programme.

The Strait of Hormuz is another central issue.

Crucially, the waterway was operating normally before the 28 February war, with roughly 100–125 commercial vessels crossing daily.

Iran subsequently restricted traffic following the US-Israeli attacks.

On Monday, only two commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz, a sharp decline from ten the previous day, according to preliminary shipping data.

This marks a significant drop from the pre-conflict average of 125 large commercial ships per day before the escalation of the Iran conflict on February 28.

The two vessels observed were a Panama-flagged Supramax and a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier.

The data may not include ships operating with their Automatic Identification System transponders turned off to evade detection.

Additionally, two separate attacks on vessels were reported in the Strait.

The Isle of Man-flagged crude oil tanker LR Stephanie was hit by an unidentified projectile, causing minor injuries to two crew members.

The Liberia-flagged LPG tanker Al Maryah was also struck while exiting the strait.

Despite the incidents, both vessels proceeded without towing. The responsible parties remain unidentified, and neither ship is listed by the Iranian Persian Gulf Strait Authority as non-compliant.

In contrast, vessel traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remained steady at 26 crossings on Monday.

For Tehran, the argument is therefore straightforward: it says military preparedness is necessary because Washington and Israel have demonstrated a willingness to use force, while diplomacy remains preferable if Iran’s security and sovereignty are respected.

– CAJ News