Iran Warns War Will 'Spread Beyond Middle East' if US Attacks Again
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned on the 20th that if the United States launches another attack, the war will expand beyond the Middle East. The statement followed President Trump's revelation that he had called off a military strike just an hour before it was scheduled, to allow more time for diplomacy. War-ending negotiations have made little progress for over six weeks, while Pakistan's interior minister's second visit to Tehran in a week suggests a mediating role.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 19:46
- 🔍 Collected: May 20, 2026 at 20:02 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 20, 2026 at 20:21 (19 min after Collected)
(CNA, Tehran, 20th, comprehensive foreign dispatch) After U.S. President Donald Trump stated he had called off a renewed military operation just an hour before it was to be ordered, Iran warned today that if the U.S. attacks again, Iran will expand the war beyond the Middle East. Reuters reported that it has been over six weeks since Trump paused "Operation Epic Fury" to reach a ceasefire agreement, but negotiations to end the war have seen limited progress. This week, Iran presented a new proposal to the U.S., but its public contents reiterated conditions previously rejected by Trump, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damages, lifting of sanctions, unfreezing of assets, and the withdrawal of U.S. troops. On the 18th and 19th, Trump stated that he had been very close to ordering a new round of bombing operations but ultimately decided at the last minute to give diplomacy more time. "I was one hour away from ordering it today," he told reporters at the White House yesterday. Iran has repeatedly threatened to retaliate against Middle Eastern countries hosting U.S. military bases if attacked again. Today, Iran further hinted at the possibility of attacking more distant targets. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement through state media, saying: "If aggression against Iran occurs again, the promised regional war will this time spread beyond the region." As Tehran and Washington remain deadlocked over proposals to end the war, Agence France-Presse, citing Iranian state media, reported that Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi traveled to Iran today, his second visit to Tehran in a week. According to the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), citing diplomatic sources in Islamabad, "Naqvi traveled to Tehran to meet with officials of the Islamic Republic." Pakistan has been mediating between Iran and the United States. Iranian media reported that Naqvi had visited Tehran on the 16th to "promote" the negotiation process.