Iran Reserves Right to “Doomsday War” Amidst Tense Negotiations with U.S.

On Sunday, Iran issued a warning that it is ready for a “doomsday war” if the U.S. continues its military actions. However, the nation is still open to further negotiations, which comes after President Trump dismissed Iran’s recent proposal about reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who has been at the forefront of Tehran’s discussions with Washington, stated that while Iran is prepared for possible renewed conflict, it is still hopeful for a diplomatic resolution with the Trump administration.

In an interview with NBC News’s Meet the Press, Araghchi said, “We are fully prepared for the war to be resumed. We stand firm in the face of any new aggression, even if it comes to a doomsday war.” He emphasized that despite this readiness, they are also willing to engage in diplomacy, leaving the decision up to President Trump.

Meanwhile, Trump mentioned on Sunday his expectation for talks with Iran to persist this week, even after rejecting Tehran’s latest terms a day earlier. He suggested that Iran had gone too far in its demands and was now seeking conditions that the U.S. might have entertained before the conflict.

“I expect more talks with Iran this week,” Trump told Axios in a phone interview. “They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal that I want to make.” He elaborated, “It is what we would have maybe agreed to a year ago. They overplayed their hand.”

Trump hinted at the possibility of further U.S. military actions, responding to a question about additional strikes against Iran with, “I am always thinking about it.”

Throughout the weekend, negotiations have been taking place behind the scenes, with Qatar facilitating discussions between Washington and Tehran in an attempt to find common ground.

Trump rejected an Iranian proposal on Saturday that suggested Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear discussions within a week if the U.S. lifted its naval blockade, allowed Iranian oil sales to resume, and restored a regional ceasefire.

According to reports, Qatari officials discussed the Iranian proposal with both sides, presenting potential compromises for them to consider. These mediators worked on revisions over the weekend, and another round of indirect talks might happen as early as Monday.

This latest mediation follows earlier discussions at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Qatari representatives relayed messages between U.S. officials and an Iranian delegation, which included Araghchi.

The Trump administration officials indicated that the U.S. rejected Iran’s proposal partly because it demanded significant relief from the economic sanctions and access to frozen assets before entering into serious negotiations regarding its nuclear program.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz commented that Iran appeared to be asking for significant concessions up front in exchange for a mere promise to engage in talks. “The bottom line is they were asking for everything upfront with a promise that they would then talk,” he stated in an interview with CNN’s State of the Union.

This skepticism is further fueled by Iran’s behavior following previous agreements, including attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Waltz described the current offer as a “pretty cynical attempt” to gain relief from the sanctions just to initiate dialogue.

Nonetheless, Waltz noted that Trump is still open to a future agreement with Tehran while keeping military options on the table. “At the end of the day, of course, this has to end in some type of arrangement,” he added. “But he’s going to leave all options on the table to get there.”

The nuclear program remains a major sticking point in these negotiations. While Tehran wishes to defer discussions about the nuclear issue, Washington insists on addressing it first, as it was the catalyst for recent U.S. military actions against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Waltz pointed to Iran’s uranium enrichment to 60 percent and the location of its nuclear facilities as reasons to question Tehran’s intentions. He questioned, “Why are you enriching to 60%? Why are you burying these facilities under mountains?” arguing that a civilian nuclear energy program would not require such high levels of enrichment.

Araghchi, on the other hand, insisted that Iran’s enrichment activities were for peaceful purposes and maintained that Tehran preferred to tackle the nuclear issue later in discussions, after the U.S. addresses other pressing matters regarding sanctions.

“It is our decision to put everything nuclear for the later stages and go for confidence building in this stage,” he clarified during the NBC interview.

He suggested that Iran might eventually negotiate regarding its 60 percent enriched uranium but added that previous encounters with Washington have left Tehran wary of re-entering agreements. “If you ask us, there is no reason why we should go back to diplomacy,” he expressed. “But I am still trying diplomacy because I think we shouldn’t miss any chance for peace.”

Despite Trump’s public dismissal of their latest offer, Araghchi mentioned that Tehran is waiting for an official response from Washington through mediators before deciding on its next steps. “I have to say that although we heard from President Trump that he is rejecting this deal, we are still waiting for an official response through the mediators,” he noted.

Simultaneously, the Trump administration continues to tighten the economic blockade against Iran, limiting its oil exports and further isolating the country’s economy. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent observed that only about 15 million barrels of Iranian oil remain available and predicted that Iran would soon conclude its oil deliveries to China, leaving it with little to trade.

“Then they will have nothing,” Bessent stated confidently. “It is an empty set, and I believe they are feeling the pressure here and that’s why they want a deal.”

Bessent contrasted Iran’s dwindling exports with the substantial amount of oil that has safely passed through the Strait under U.S. protection since the conflict began, claiming that the score stands at over a billion barrels for the United States, while Iran has zero.

Trump echoed this sentiment on Sunday, applauding the increased flow of non-Iranian oil through the Strait and asserting that the U.S. had transported a record amount of oil overnight—more than prior to the war.

“As soon as Iran gives up, as soon as the war is over, which will be soon, oil is going to come plummeting down,” Trump asserted before leaving the White House.

However, Araghchi cautioned that Iran has been preparing for a potential new offensive against the U.S. “We have learned our lesson from the two previous wars, and we have corrected our tactics,” he mentioned. “We have changed our tactics.”

He reiterated that Iran is “fully prepared” for another conflict, stressing that while they are pursuing negotiations, they are also gearing up for possible renewed hostilities. Qatari mediators have been actively exchanging revisions between Washington and Tehran, with another indirect negotiation round potentially on the horizon as soon as Monday. Both sides have indicated that they are ready for renewed fighting if talks do not yield results.