Tensions between the United States and Iran intensified over the weekend as President Donald Trump confirmed the movement of US naval forces toward the region, while Iranian leaders dismissed negotiations conducted under threat and warned that any military confrontation would rapidly expand beyond Iran’s borders.
Trump said Washington had conveyed a deadline to Tehran and claimed Iranian officials were “seriously talking” with the United States. Speaking publicly, he pointed to what he described as “big, powerful ships” moving in Iran’s direction, adding that he hoped diplomacy would still prevail.
Iranian officials rejected the framing outright. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said threats of war were neither new nor effective, warning that any US-initiated conflict would escalate into a regional war. He said Iranians would not be intimidated by military deployments or public warnings from Washington.
Iran Moves Against Europe After IRGC Terror Designation
The standoff widened after the European Union designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. In response, Iran’s parliament voted to classify EU member states’ armed forces as terrorist groups under Iranian law.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the decision was a direct retaliation, accusing European governments of acting at Washington’s behest. Lawmakers, some wearing IRGC uniforms inside parliament, said the move would allow Iran to pursue legal countermeasures.
Senior parliament member Alireza Salimi called for the immediate expulsion of European military attaches stationed in Tehran, arguing their presence now violates Iranian law. Parliamentary committees were instructed to press the foreign ministry to act without delay.
