Iran’s parliament speaker said Tehran expects any U.S. ground move to be met with a severe response, while Pakistan said it is prepared to host U.S.-Iran talks “in the coming days” after a meeting of regional foreign ministers in Islamabad.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that U.S. messages about negotiations were masking preparations for a possible ground operation, according to a statement he posted on Telegram that was widely reported by international media. He said Iranian forces were ready for any U.S. ground troops and vowed Iran would not accept “humiliation.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Sunday that Pakistan would be “honored” to host and facilitate talks between the United States and Iran “in the coming days,” after foreign ministers from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt met in Islamabad as part of a Pakistani-led diplomatic effort to push for de-escalation. Pakistan said both Tehran and Washington had expressed confidence in Pakistan’s role.
Separately, U.S. officials said an Iranian missile-and-drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on Friday wounded at least 15 U.S. service members, with several reported seriously injured. U.S. officials have said the monthlong conflict has left at least 13 American service members dead and more than 300 wounded.
Details of any prospective talks — including whether they would be direct or indirect, and whether other parties would join — were not immediately clear. Reporting in recent days has said the Trump administration has floated a multi-point proposal to end the fighting, while Iran has publicly denied negotiating the plan and has issued its own demands, including compensation and conditions related to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. military has not publicly provided full details of troop movements tied to the conflict. Defense reporting has said the Pentagon ordered the USS Tripoli amphibious ready group and the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to deploy toward the Middle East as the war escalated.
