Iran warns US against ground invasion as regional diplomats seek an end to the war

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — A apical Iranian authoritative warned the U.S. against a crushed invasion, saying American troops would beryllium acceptable “on fire,” arsenic determination diplomats gathered successful Pakistan connected Sunday successful a propulsion to broker an extremity to the monthlong war.

Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, dismissed play talks arsenic a screen portion the U.S. dispatches further troops to the Middle East. He said Iran was prepared to face immoderate American forces connected its ungraded and would respond harshly against some U.S. troops and Washington’s determination allies, according to Iranian authorities media.

The remarks came arsenic Pakistan said the overseas ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt were holding talks successful Islamabad without U.S. oregon Israeli participation. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier said helium and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had held “extensive discussions” connected the determination hostilities.

Yet determination were fewer signs of advancement arsenic Israel and the U.S. kept up strikes connected Iran, and Tehran responded by firing missiles and drones crossed the region.

More than 3,000 radical person been killed passim the monthlong warfare that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes connected Iran, triggering Iran's attacks connected Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab states.

Israel announced waves of incoming strikes from Iran connected Sunday and explosions could beryllium heard passim Tehran.

Mideast leaders effort to interruption impasse astatine play talks

Egypt’s Badr Abdelatty, Turkey’s Hakan Fidan and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal Bin Farhan were successful Islamabad arsenic portion of talks scheduled days aft the U.S. offered Iran a 15-point “action list" arsenic a model for a imaginable bid deal. Abdelatty said the meetings were aimed astatine opening a “direct dialogue” betwixt the U.S. and Iran, which person mostly communicated done mediators during the war.

Yet during the talks, Iran has eased immoderate restrictions connected commercialized ships passing done the Strait of Hormuz. It agreed precocious Saturday to let 20 much Pakistani-flagged vessels to transit the captious passageway, Pakistani officials said, adding to the prime fewer it has fto done arsenic Iran works to choke but not chopped disconnected the strait entirely.

The play provided small motion of the talks narrowing the disconnect betwixt the U.S. and Iran. U.S. officials person insisted the warfare whitethorn beryllium nearing an inflection constituent but Iranian leaders proceed to publically cull negotiations.

To the contrary, the United States has dispatched thousands of further Marines and paratroopers to the region. And the Iran-backed Houthis, who govern parts of Yemen, announced their long-awaited introduction into the war, launching missiles toward what they called “sensitive Israeli subject sites” for the archetypal clip connected Saturday.

Despite the deployments, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said connected Friday that Washington “can execute each of our objectives without crushed troops” arsenic home absorption grows to expanding the warfare to a imaginable crushed invasion, including among Republicans.

Yet Iranian officials person rejected the U.S. model and successful nationalist dismissed the thought of negotiating nether pressure. Still, Press TV, the English-language limb of Iran’s authorities broadcaster, reported past week that Tehran drafted its ain five-point proposal, citing an anonymous official. The program reportedly called for a halt to sidesplitting Iranian officials, guarantees against aboriginal attacks, reparations and Iran’s “exercise of sovereignty implicit the Strait of Hormuz.”

Tehran threatens retaliatory strikes connected Israeli and US universities

Iran connected Sunday warned of further escalation aft Israeli airstrikes deed respective universities, including ones that Israel claimed were utilized for atomic probe and development.

The paramilitary Revolutionary Guard warned successful a connection that Iran would see Israeli universities and branches of American universities successful the portion “legitimate targets” unless offered information assurances for Iranian universities, authorities media reported.

American colleges including Georgetown, New York University and Northwestern person campuses successful Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

“If the U.S. authorities wants its universities successful the portion spared, it should condemn the bombardment of (Iranian) universities by 12 o’clock Monday, March 30, successful an authoritative statement,” the Guard said.

It besides demanded the U.S. halt Israel from striking Iranian universities and probe centers. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said connected Saturday that dozens of universities and probe centers person been hit, among them the Iran University of Science and Technology and Isfahan University of Technology.

Houthi engagement sparks concerns

Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said connected the rebels' Al-Masirah outer tv presumption connected Saturday that they launched missiles toward “sensitive Israeli subject sites” successful the south.

The radical — which controls parts of Yemen — launched repeated attacks aimed astatine Israel and Red Sea shipping during the tallness of the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli strikes connected Yemen past twelvemonth killed the rebel-run government's premier curate and apical subject general.

If the Houthis again accrued attacks connected commercialized shipping, it would further propulsion up lipid prices and destabilize “all of maritime security,” said Ahmed Nagi, a elder Yemen expert astatine the International Crisis Group. “The interaction would not beryllium constricted to the vigor market.”

Bab el-Mandeb, astatine the confederate extremity of the Arabian Peninsula, is important for vessels heading to the Suez Canal done the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has been routing millions of barrels of crude lipid a time done it due to the fact that the Strait of Hormuz is efficaciously closed.

Houthi rebels attacked much than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking 2 vessels, betwixt November 2023 and January 2025. They person held Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014. Saudi Arabia launched a warfare against the Houthis connected behalf of Yemen’s exiled authorities successful 2015. They present person an uneasy ceasefire.

Death toll climbs

Iranian authorities accidental much than 1,900 radical person been killed successful the Islamic Republic, portion 19 person been reported dormant successful Israel.

In Lebanon, wherever Israel has started an penetration successful the southbound portion targeting the Hezbollah militant group, officials said much than 1,100 radical person been killed successful the state since the commencement of the war.

In Iraq, wherever Iranian-supported militia groups person entered the conflict, 80 members of the information forces person died.

In Gulf states, 20 radical person been killed. Four person been killed successful the occupied West Bank.

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Metz reported from Ramallah and Magdy from Cairo.

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