US Navy barred from Gulf as Iran cites 7-day truce collapse

An interim agreement to halt hostilities between Iran and the United States has effectively dissolved, prompting Tehran to deny US naval access to the Persian Gulf.

The conflict began on February 28 with initial strikes that assassinated the previous Supreme Leader. Mojtaba Khamenei assumed power in early March, succeeding his father. Negotiations followed, leading to a temporary truce. On Friday, President Donald Trump indicated a potential resumption of combat operations using the codename "Epic Fury." Saturday brought formal accusations from Iranian leadership that the pact had failed.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Saturday that Washington voided the interim deal. He urged both nations to return to the table to "conclude it." Military leaders issued specific warnings about the immediate future. Chief of Staff Ali Abdollahi declared that US forces would not enter the Gulf "under any circumstances." He added that Trump would take his dream of naval entry to the grave. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that even limited strikes would trigger a response "several times greater."

Political deadlines in the West are tightening the timeline for potential action. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated his commitment to overthrowing the Iranian government. Israelis will vote for a new government on Tuesday. In the United States, the Republican Party faces midterm elections on November 3. Democrats currently hold the potential to take control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Such a result would impact Trump, who has more than two years remaining in his final term.

Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani wrote a memo on Saturday asserting that Tehran would not "wait for permission to defend itself." She stated the country "seeks peace but will respond to any aggression with severe consequences." She added that those who believe they can destroy Iran must "correct their calculations."

Domestic leadership meetings continued in Tehran on Saturday. Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei met with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. They discussed corruption and compensation for war-affected citizens. Khamenei has not appeared in public since taking office in early March. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the chief negotiator, met Khamenei earlier this week.

Trump said on Friday he "may do another little Epic Fury." This references the operation name for the war that started February 28. The next 48 hours are expected to determine if the truce holds or if new strikes begin.