Tehran has warned the United States that a resumption of hostilities could lead to a war "longer than the previous one", the day after new threats from Donald Trump. On Monday, however, Iran said it was ready to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if Washington accedes to its demands.

Published on: 01/11/2026 - 03:57 Modified on: 02/11/2026 - 10:10

“We can do that in ten minutes,” said the American president, who last week did not rule out “another little 'Epic Fury'”, in reference to the name of the military offensive launched on February 28 by Washington against Iran.

“The only reason I'm not done with Iran yet is that I want to be nice... But we're going to have to, at some point, give them a hammer blow,” the Republican billionaire said again on Sunday during a meeting in Iowa.

Tehran responded over the weekend by warning that Donald Trump would, this time, “not be able to dictate the time or the conditions” of a cessation of hostilities. “A new war could be longer than the previous one,” said army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia.

He was referring to the most intense phase of the conflict, which killed many Iranian officials – including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei – and left thousands of civilians dead, in nearly 40 days of Israeli-American bombing.

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The Iranian regime's warning was quickly tempered by its diplomatic services, which affirmed, Monday, November 2, that exchanges with the United States are continuing via regional mediators, and assured that Iran is ready to reopen the Strait of Hormuz "within two days" if Washington accepts Tehran's requests.

“The possibility of implementing this plan in two days is an additional sign of Iran's good faith,” said Esmaïl Baghaï, stressing that “the exchange of messages continues” via the mediators. “If Tehran’s demands are met, it would be possible to restore security in the Strait of Hormuz and restart the negotiation process in a very short time.”

If a lull has been observed since the beginning of September, press reports suggest a possible short and intense military campaign after the American mid-term elections scheduled for Tuesday.

Iranian nuclear power in the viewfinder

On Sunday, the American media outlet Axios reported that Donald Trump spoke by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the opportunity and timetable for an intensification of military operations.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Donald Trump confirmed having discussed Iran with Benjamin Netanyahu, but declined to give further details.

See also: Will Trump drop “the mother of all bombs” on Iran?

According to American and Israeli sources cited by Axios, Benjamin Netanyahu insisted to the president that he would strike Iran immediately after the American elections, while Donald Trump expressed the wish to let the negotiations take their course.

Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc, which came first in the country's October 27 legislative elections but without obtaining a majority, regularly describes Iran as an "existential threat."

“We have neutralized their nuclear capabilities. We still have to take care of, I would say, one or two sites,” the American leader told reporters on Saturday.

"You could probably look at Pickaxe Mountain, and that needs to be taken care of. We can do this very quickly," he added.

Located near the Natanz uranium enrichment site, 250 kilometers south of Tehran, Mount Kolang is suspected of housing an underground nuclear complex according to American intelligence services. Donald Trump had already threatened to bomb it at the end of July.

The Iranian government rejects these allegations, just as it denies wanting to acquire atomic weapons, defending its right to civilian nuclear power.

Current negotiations

Faced with these threats, Supreme Guide Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father in March but has still not been seen in public, warned of "an immediate, powerful response without geographical limits".

On Sunday, the spokesperson for the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Mohebi, affirmed that "the geographical restrictions imposed on the conflict" had been "lifted" and "the various material and immaterial targets of the enemy identified", according to the ISNA agency.

Iran has already threatened to attack data centers and artificial intelligence systems, as well as submarine cables in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, at the heart of the conflict.

However, negotiations are underway under the aegis of the Qatari mediator. An Iranian delegation visited Qatar and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that he hoped "that the opposing party will show reason and favor the diplomatic route."

“The Islamic Republic of Iran remains ready to lead defense and diplomacy together,” he warned, quoted by the official Irna agency.

To (re)readIran: did ultraconservative generals sabotage the peace agreement with Washington?

On the streets of Tehran, Mohadese, a young health worker, said she did not want to "constantly worry about what could happen."

"We are not afraid of another war. We are still at war," said Ebrahim, a seller in the center of the capital.

With AFP

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