SRINAGAR: A senior Iranian official has warned that war with Israel could resume “at any moment,” describing the current pause in hostilities since June’s 12-day conflict as a temporary halt rather than a formal ceasefire, reports The Times of Israel.
“We must be prepared at every moment for confrontation. Right now, we are not even in a ceasefire; we are in a cessation of hostilities,” said First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, according to Moneycontrol.
The June clashes left more than 1,000 dead in Iran after Israeli strikes targeted nuclear and military sites, including senior commanders and scientists. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks that killed hundreds in Israel. The United States joined the war by bombing Iranian nuclear facilities before announcing a halt in fighting on June 24, but no formal ceasefire agreement was reached.
On Sunday, Yahya Rahim Safavi, military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reiterated that “we are not in a ceasefire now, we are in a war phase, it could break down at any time.”
Western powers have since warned Iran against resuming nuclear enrichment, accusing Tehran of pursuing weapons capabilities, a charge it denies. The UN nuclear watchdog has noted Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 60 percent, well above the 3.67 percent limit set by the 2015 nuclear accord. Britain, France, and Germany last week threatened to reimpose sanctions, while Iranian officials cautioned of “serious consequences,” including possible withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
