‘Head For An Eye’: Iran Warns US Of ‘Deadline’ Even As Trump Claims ‘Very Good Talks’

Last Updated:March 24, 2026, 20:59 IST

Mohsen Rezaei warns Donald Trump of severe retaliation as Iran denies US talks, accuses Israel over Greater Israel, and West Asia tensions risk wider war.

Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, Iran’s newly appointed military adviser Mohsen Rezaei has issued a stark warning to the United States, threatening severe retaliation and setting what appeared to be a “deadline" for Washington.

In a televised interview with Iran’s state-run IRNA, Rezaei said, “The final deadlines for saving America are approaching," warning US President Donald Trump that there is “not much time left" to avoid deeper conflict.

Escalating his rhetoric, the former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander said any attack on Iran’s infrastructure would trigger a far stronger response. “Our response will no longer be an eye for an eye, but rather a head for an eye; we will paralyse you and drown you in the Gulf," he said.

Rezaei also accused Israel of drawing the United States into the conflict, claiming the war was driven by ambitions of a “Greater Israel" and calling the military action “illegal." He said the conflict would only end if sanctions on Iran are lifted, damages compensated, and guarantees are provided against future attacks.

The remarks come even as conflicting signals emerge on the diplomatic front.

President Donald Trump had earlier claimed that the US and Iran were engaged in “very good and productive conversations" aimed at resolving the conflict. He also announced a five-day pause on planned strikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure to allow talks to continue.

However, Iranian officials have strongly denied any such negotiations.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed the claims as “fake news," accusing Washington of attempting to manipulate financial and oil markets while trying to escape what he described as a strategic “quagmire."

“There have been no negotiations," Iranian officials reiterated, underscoring a widening gap between US assertions and Tehran’s official stance.

The contradictory messaging highlights the volatile and uncertain state of the conflict, now entering its fourth week, with ongoing strikes and rising fears of a wider regional war.

While Washington signals a possible opening for diplomacy, Tehran’s hardline rhetoric suggests that any path to de-escalation remains fraught, with both sides continuing to exchange threats even as indirect mediation efforts reportedly continue behind the scenes.

News world ‘Head For An Eye’: Iran Warns US Of ‘Deadline’ Even As Trump Claims ‘Very Good Talks’

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