Dubai, August 20: A senior Iranian official warned on Monday that war with Israel could erupt at any moment, describing the current lull in fighting as only a temporary halt after June’s 12-day conflict.
“We must be prepared at every moment for confrontation; right now, we are not even in a ceasefire, we are in a cessation of hostilities,” First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said.
The June fighting saw Israel bombard Iranian nuclear and military facilities as well as residential areas, killing more than 1,000 people, including senior commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes that killed dozens in Israel.
The United States joined the war late in the conflict, striking Iranian nuclear sites before announcing a halt in fighting on June 24. But no formal ceasefire was agreed, leaving what Iranian officials describe as an “undeclared pause.”
Yahya Rahim Safavi, a military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Sunday that Iran was preparing for a “worst-case scenario,” adding: “We are not in a ceasefire now, we are in a war phase … it could break down at any time.”
Western powers accuse Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, a charge it denies. The U.N. nuclear watchdog has warned that Iran is the only non-nuclear-armed state enriching uranium to 60 percent purity, far above the 3.67 percent cap set by a 2015 accord and close to the 90 percent required for weapons.
Britain, France and Germany last week threatened to reimpose sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal. Iranian officials have warned of “serious consequences,” including possible withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Israel and the United States have both threatened further strikes if Tehran restarts enrichment or reactivates its nuclear sites.
