Iran War Day 74: Tehran Says It Is Ready to Respond to Any Aggression

Tensions between the United States and Iran remained intense on day 74 of the war, with Tehran warning that it was fully prepared to respond to any new attack after US President Donald Trump said the fragile ceasefire was on massive life support.

Trump on Monday rejected Iran’s latest answer to his peace proposal and described it in blunt terms as stupid. His remarks added to the already strained atmosphere around the negotiations, which continue to drift without a breakthrough despite repeated claims that diplomacy is still possible.

Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, answered with a warning of his own. He said Iranian forces are ready to retaliate if attacked and suggested the United States would be taken by surprise by the scale of Iran’s response.

The exchange has deepened uncertainty over attempts to end a war that has already shaken energy markets and pushed the wider region into a prolonged state of instability.

Iran hardens its message while repeating key demands

Inside Iran, the government continued to present a firm line. Authorities announced the seizure of six properties allegedly linked to former national football captain Ali Karimi, who has lived in exile and become an outspoken critic of the state.

At the diplomatic level, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tehran had responded to the latest US proposal by demanding an end to the war and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Iranian officials insisted that the country was only asking for what they described as its legitimate rights.

That position reflects the same broad pattern seen throughout the conflict. Tehran says it wants guarantees that war will not erupt again, while also making clear that deep mistrust of Washington still shapes its approach to every proposal.

Trump rejects latest response as negotiations drift

The diplomatic track remains stuck. Trump rejected Iran’s most recent response and again signalled that Washington sees Tehran as the side blocking progress. At the centre of the dispute are the same unresolved demands that have weighed on talks for weeks.

Trump said his main objective remains preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He also claimed Tehran had once agreed to remove all enriched uranium before changing course. Iran, however, continues to insist that any real settlement must include enough guarantees to prevent another war from starting.

Analysts say the two sides are still talking past each other rather than moving closer together. Dania Thafer warned that pressure tactics, especially around the Strait of Hormuz, could deepen the conflict, damage the regional economy and turn the current standoff into a long frozen conflict instead of a real peace.

Hormuz remains a dangerous pressure point

The Strait of Hormuz is still one of the central flashpoints of the war. A security meeting involving defence ministers from 40 countries is due to be hosted by the United Kingdom and France on Tuesday to discuss ways to restore trade flows through the waterway.

At the same time, new sanctions are adding pressure rather than easing it. The United States imposed sanctions on 12 people and entities linked to Iranian oil sales to China, only hours after the United Kingdom announced similar measures.

These developments show that even as negotiations continue in theory, the practical pressure campaign around Iran is still expanding. That is one reason the risk of escalation remains high.

Economic effects continue to spread

In the United States, the impact of the war is becoming more visible in everyday life. Trump dismissed Iran’s response as garbage and warned again about the danger of disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

At the same time, rising diesel costs linked to the conflict and the disruption in Hormuz are pushing up transport and supermarket prices across the US. Although Trump has insisted the economic impact will eventually ease, the pressure is already being felt by consumers.

He has also said he wants to suspend the federal gas tax in an attempt to reduce the burden of higher fuel prices.

Fallout reaches Israel and Lebanon

The wider regional effects of the war were also visible in Israel and Lebanon. In Israel, civil aviation chief Shmuel Zakay said heavy US military activity at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport is disrupting civilian flights, delaying the return of foreign airlines and raising ticket prices ahead of the busy summer season.

In Lebanon, officials urged the US ambassador in Beirut to pressure Israel to stop its attacks, which have continued despite the ceasefire. Reporting from Tyre showed that many residents who had recently returned after weeks of displacement are now refusing to leave again, even as Israeli strikes intensify.

Frustration is growing among civilians who are facing repeated displacement, family separation and long interruptions to their children’s education.

Day 74 ends with more tension than progress

The picture on day 74 is one of hardening positions and fading optimism. Trump says a deal is still possible, but his language towards Tehran has become harsher. Iran says it is ready for any aggression and continues to demand guarantees, frozen assets and an end to the war.

With sanctions expanding, regional insecurity deepening and the Strait of Hormuz still threatening global trade, the war remains stuck between diplomacy and escalation. For now, the hope of peace is still alive, but it is being tested by mistrust, pressure and rising costs on every side.