United States says it has means to resume war against Iran

The United States said Saturday that it has the means to resume war against Iran, after asserting that a peace agreement would only be possible if its "red lines are met."

Uncertainty reigns over the outcome of discussions between Tehran and Washington, after the most serious clashes this week since the truce took effect on April 8.

Sources in Washington indicated Thursday that a framework agreement was being considered for a 60-day extension of the cease-fire, and a two-hour meeting Friday at the White House devoted to the issue produced no immediate announcement.

"Iran must accept that they will never have a nuclear weapon. The Strait of Hormuz must be opened immediately," and Tehran must commit to clearing it of mines, President Donald Trump said ahead of the meeting on his Truth Social network.

He also demanded, in all capital letters, that Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile be "DESTROYED."

In the evening, a White House official told AFP that "President Trump will only sign an agreement if it is good for America and his red lines are met."

"Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," the official repeated.

"Talks are ongoing but no final agreement has yet been reached," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaïl Baghai, responding to Trump's comments.

He also denied that there was any discussion at this stage over the nuclear issue and defended the "special situation" of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, due to its geographical location in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.

In Tehran, residents watch these diplomatic negotiations with disillusionment. "Both sides are saying things to please their supporters. It's hard to know who's telling the truth," said Ali, a 49-year-old Iranian from Tonekabon on the Caspian Sea.

Hegseth ready to resume fighting

In this context, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the United States was "fully capable" of resuming hostilities against Iran "if necessary."

"Our stockpiles are more than adequate for this objective, both on site and elsewhere in the world, considering how we balance high-tech munitions and others produced in larger quantities," he said during the Shangri-La Dialogue, a defense forum in Singapore.

The war, launched on Feb. 28 by an Israeli-American offensive against Iran, has left thousands dead and is shaking the global economy by pushing up oil prices.

Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has accelerated in recent days, but "that does not mean a return to the pre-war situation," according to Iranian state television, which claims that access is still banned for ships from "hostile" countries.

Tehran is demanding an end to fighting on all fronts, especially in Lebanon where its ally, Hezbollah, is battling Israel. A truce in effect since April 17 has never been observed.

The Israeli army again expanded its "combat zone" in southern Lebanon on Friday while continuing its strikes. Lebanon's health ministry reported 11 deaths in the south of the country Friday. The pro-Iranian group claimed a new series of attacks on military targets in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Lebanese and Israeli military officials held a meeting in Washington that the U.S. government described as "constructive." According to the Pentagon, these military discussions will form the basis for a new round of political negotiations between representatives from both countries to reach a security agreement, set for June 2 and 3 in Washington.

Hezbollah opposes these discussions, and its parliamentary bloc again called Thursday for Lebanon to withdraw from them.

According to the latest official count, Israeli strikes have killed 3,355 people in Lebanon since the start of the war.