Iran says ready for conflict if US negotiations collapse

Iran has warned it is prepared to return to direct military confrontation with the United States if ongoing negotiations fail to yield outcomes it deems acceptable, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.

In a series of state-backed messages aimed at audiences at home and abroad, Araghchi also highlighted the economic repercussions of the US-Israel conflict with Iran, saying the fallout is extending into American households.

He noted that US energy prices and inflation have risen markedly since the conflict began on February 28, a development he linked to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz - a key maritime route that typically carries around one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies.

“Americans are told that they must absorb rocketing costs of war of choice on Iran,” Araghchi wrote on X, alongside an image showing rising yields on US Treasury bonds.

“Beyond the surge in gas prices and stock market volatility, the real strain will be felt as US debt and mortgage rates climb. Auto loan delinquencies are already at a more than 30-year high,” he added.