Iran’s leader warns US and Israel of ‘bitter defeat’

“Just as Iran’s drones strike lightning-fast blows against the US and Israel, our navy is also ready to inflict a new bitter defeat on the enemy,” Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a message read on Iranian television on April 18.

April 18 is the day the Iranian army was established. In the message, Mr. Khamenei described Iran’s armed forces as having “bravely defended its territory, waters and flag” against military moves by the US and Israel.

“With solid support from religious faith and the people, the Iranian army confronted two leading forces of distrust and arrogance, exposing their weakness and failure to the world,” Iran’s Supreme Leader said.

Mr. Khamenei said that Iran needs to make efforts to promote the development of the military, and said that necessary measures will be issued soon.

The warning was issued by Iran’s Supreme Leader when the two-week ceasefire between this country and the US will expire on April 22. The first negotiations between the two countries on April 11 in Islamabad, Pakistan failed to achieve results on key issues, such as control of the Strait of Hormuz and whether Iran can continue to enrich uranium or not.

Sources familiar with the matter said the US proposed that Iran suspend all nuclear activities within 20 years, while Tehran could accept 3-5 years. Iranian National Assembly Chairman Mohammad Ghalibaf said on the evening of April 18 that the US and Iran “have made progress in negotiations, but the two sides still have a big gap”.

Intermediaries are pushing for the US and Iran to extend the two-week ceasefire and arrange a second round of negotiations between the two countries to find a long-term solution to the conflict, but this process has not made clear progress.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said the two sides have not yet set a date for the second negotiation, adding that it is necessary to reach a framework of common understanding first. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump warned on April 17 that the US may not extend the ceasefire and continue the bombing campaign if a long-term agreement with Tehran is not reached.