IRGC warns war will spread beyond Middle East if US resumes strikes

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Warns War Will Spread Beyond Middle East if US Resumes Strikes

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a stark warning on Wednesday that any renewed American or Israeli military action against the country would trigger a conflict extending far beyond the Middle East, promising “crushing blows in places you cannot even imagine.”mehrnews

The threat came as diplomatic signals suggested a potential path toward ending the nearly three-month-old war between the US-Israel coalition and Iran. President Donald Trump told lawmakers that the conflict could end “very quickly,” while Vice President JD Vance said negotiations with Tehran are “in a pretty good spot,” adding that “a lot of good progress is being made.”reuters

Deadline Pressure and Tanker Movements

Trump gave Iran a window of two to three days to agree to terms, according to remarks reported earlier this week, continuing his pattern of issuing ultimatums to Tehran throughout the conflict. The president previously said he had been “an hour away” from ordering new strikes on Iran on Monday evening before Persian Gulf allies intervened, citing progress in peace talks.cbsnews

In a sign of cautious optimism, two Chinese supertankers — the Yuan Gui Yang and the Ocean Lily — exited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday carrying approximately 4 million barrels of crude oil, according to shipping data from LSEG and Kpler cited by Al Jazeera. A South Korean oil tanker also transited the strait, the first such passage by a South Korean vessel since the war began, according to Seoul’s foreign minister.aljazeera

Senate Moves on War Powers

In Washington, the US Senate advanced a war powers resolution on Tuesday that would end the Iran war unless Trump obtains congressional authorization, in a 50-47 vote that represented a rare rebuke of the president 80 days into the conflict, according to the Times of Israel. Three Republicans joined Democrats in backing the measure, though three absent Republican senators could defeat it if they maintain their opposition. Trump is expected to veto the resolution should it pass both chambers.timesofisrael

Diplomatic Channels Multiply

Pakistan’s interior minister visited Tehran on Wednesday for the second time in a week as part of intensified efforts to broker peace, with diplomatic sources telling CBS News that a return to fighting “would be a total disaster for everyone.” Iran’s demands include a cessation of hostilities on all fronts, withdrawal of US troops from areas surrounding Iran, reparations, the lifting of sanctions, and the release of frozen assets, according to Iranian state media.cbsnews

The IRGC’s warning, broadcast through Iranian state outlets, underscored the precariousness of the moment — with oil finally moving through Hormuz again even as both sides maintained their capacity to escalate.iranintl