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The United States and Iran are locked in a fast-moving exchange of threats and warnings as a fragile two-week ceasefire approaches its expiration, raising fears of renewed conflict, stalled diplomacy, and further instability in global energy markets.

With negotiations hanging in the balance, both sides are hardening their positions while oil prices react sharply and a key maritime flashpoint adds fuel to the crisis.

Ceasefire Countdown Turns into High-Stakes Showdown

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said Iran is “prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield” after United States President Donald Trump threatened Tehran with “problems like they’ve never seen before” if the two-week ceasefire expires on Wednesday without a deal.

The warning comes as diplomatic efforts appear increasingly uncertain, with both sides signaling they are preparing for escalation rather than compromise.

Diplomatic Talks Thrown Into Doubt After Maritime Seizure

The war of words is unfolding as the second round of US-Iran peace talks scheduled this week in Pakistan remains in limbo.

Tensions spiked after the United States seized an Iranian-flagged vessel near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, a move that enraged Iranian officials and triggered renewed volatility in global oil prices.

Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi said, “There is no official confirmation on whether Iran is going to take part in talks in Islamabad.”

He added, “We know that Iran has tried to keep the door ajar to diplomacy, so there is still a possibility,” highlighting the fragile and uncertain nature of ongoing diplomatic channels.

Iran Signals Resistance Under Pressure

In an overnight post on X, Ghalibaf condemned Washington’s approach, accusing Trump of “imposing a siege and violating the ceasefire”.

He said, “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield,” signaling Tehran’s willingness to escalate if pressured further.

The rhetoric underscores a deepening standoff, with Iran insisting it will not negotiate under coercion while still leaving room for diplomacy under different conditions.

“Mixed Message” as Negotiations Hang in Limbo

According to Asadi, Iran’s messaging reflects internal and strategic tension.

He said this represents a “mixed message”, explaining it as “saying Iran is ready for negotiations but not under terms imposed by the US”.

He warned that even if talks happen, they are expected to be difficult and unresolved.

“There will be no easy negotiations, if, of course, they even happen, as there are still several complicated sticking points. Both sides have a long list of demands, including relating to the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions, war reparations, ballistic missiles and Iran’s regional relations,” Asadi said.

Those unresolved issues continue to fuel uncertainty, particularly around maritime security and sanctions relief, both central to the dispute.

Trump Signals Pressure Campaign Will Continue

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump expressed confidence that Iran would ultimately come to the negotiating table, warning of consequences if it does not.

“Well, they’re going to negotiate, and if they don’t, they’re going to see problems like they’ve never seen before,” Trump said in a phone call to the conservative radio programme the John Fredericks Show.

He added, “Hopefully, they’ll make a fair deal, and they’ll build their country back up, but when they do it, they will not have a nuclear weapon,” stressing Washington’s core demand.

Trump continued, “We can’t allow that to happen, that could be the destruction of the world, and we’re not going to let that happen.”

Rising Risk as Ceasefire Deadline Looms

With the ceasefire set to expire Wednesday, both sides remain locked in a dangerous standoff marked by military warnings, diplomatic uncertainty, and rising economic pressure.

As tensions escalate across the Strait of Hormuz and global markets react to each development, the coming days are shaping up to be a critical test of whether diplomacy can survive or whether confrontation returns to center stage.