A senior official in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the United States warned Tehran it could face military action if it did not accept a set of conditions ahead of renewed diplomatic talks.
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps official Aziz Ghazanfari, a deputy head of the Guard’s political department, said Washington initially presented Iran with four demands that went beyond the nuclear issue when outlining a framework for diplomacy.
According to Ghazanfari, US officials insisted that any diplomatic path would require Iran to address its ballistic missile program, curb support for regional armed groups, and accept limits on uranium enrichment.
In a commentary published by Sobh-e Sadegh, a weekly outlet affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, he said the message was accompanied by a warning that failure to accept the conditions would leave Iran vulnerable to military action.
Ghazanfari described the approach as “psychological warfare” aimed at pressuring Tehran ahead of indirect talks held in Muscat.
The indirect talks in Oman, which began on Friday through intermediaries, were described by both sides as preliminary.
Officials have said the discussions may continue this week, though neither Washington nor Tehran has publicly outlined a timetable or agenda beyond broad references to diplomacy.
The talks come as the United States has stepped up its military posture in the region. Washington has deployed the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying naval assets to the Middle East, citing the need to deter escalation.
President Donald Trump has warned that “bad things could happen” if Iran does not reach a deal, while also saying he prefers a diplomatic outcome.
Ghazanfari said Iran rejected the US conditions outright and insisted that negotiations be limited to the nuclear file, asserting that Tehran’s position prevented Washington from setting the terms of engagement through threats or coercion.
He portrayed Tehran’s stance as a demonstration of resolve, arguing that refusing to negotiate under pressure reflected what he described as Iran’s “national strength.”
