A senior Iranian official has warned that intelligence indicates the United States is preparing for war with Iran, using diplomacy merely as a façade. In statements aired by Iranian state-run Press TV, the unnamed official said Tehran should shift focus from negotiations to preparing for armed conflict.
"Our intelligence shows Washington is pursuing talks to buy time for war preparations — not for peace," the official said. "If that’s the case, we see no reason to waste time on negotiations. We prefer to focus on readiness for conflict."
The Iranian official accused the U.S. of attempting to strip Iran of its military capabilities in order to compensate for what he called "Israel’s growing weakness in the next war." He insisted that any future talks must include real guarantees and not serve as a cover for deception.
Among Iran’s new conditions for talks: discussion of Israel’s nuclear arsenal and compensation for damages suffered during the recent war. The official also called for U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to prove he’s genuinely committed to resolving the conflict, not "escalating it." While expressing skepticism, he added, “We’re willing to give the U.S. one more chance to prove itself with actions, not just words.”