'Prepared to defend ourselves if US attacks:' Iran

Patna: Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, on Sunday said that Iran is prepared to defend itself if the United States and Israel initiate fresh escalation in the conflict.

Speaking to ANI, Ilahi maintained that Iran wants peace; however, it will not surrender in case of a renewed war.

He said, "Such statements are nothing new to us; we have heard similar remarks from the United States before. We desire peace, we are actively seeking peace. However, should they choose to initiate a war against us, we are prepared, and we will defend ourselves with our very lives and our own blood."

"We will never surrender to their demands. They have made various statements, as everyone is well aware, essentially expecting Iran to surrender unconditionally, to bow before them, to hand over its oil and all its mineral resources, and to place its entire nation under their control. But this will never happen; it is merely a dream of theirs that will never come true," the Supreme Leader's representative added.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone on Saturday as Washington evaluated potential renewed military action against Iran, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the call.

Today, Trump asserted that American operations have already crippled the core of Iran's nuclear programme and military assets, leaving only a couple of targets, including key underground facilities like "Pickaxe Mountain", which the US military could eliminate at short notice.

"We've knocked out their nuclear. We still have to take care of, I would say, one or two sites, but we can do that in ten minutes," Trump said.

According to the President, the US is not in an urgent rush to resume immediate strikes, as preceding air operations have successfully degraded Iran's navy, air force, anti-aircraft networks and defence manufacturing infrastructure.

Iran has responded in strong-worded statements. Iranian Defence Minister Mehrdad Akhlaghi warned that any attack against Tehran would be met with a "proportionate, decisive, and impactful response," cautioning that any renewed confrontation with the United States could spiral into an extended war that US President Donald Trump would not be able to end at will, Al Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said talks with Qatari mediators are ongoing on a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if the United States implements Tehran's conditions, as per Al Jazeera.