Iran warns US ground troops would be 'set on fire' as regional diplomats meet on the war

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — A apical Iranian authoritative warned the U.S. against a crushed invasion, saying its troops would beryllium acceptable “on fire,” arsenic determination diplomats met Sunday successful Pakistan successful hopes of opening nonstop U.S.-Iran talks and ending the monthlong war.

Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said Iranian forces were “waiting for the accomplishment of American troops connected the crushed to acceptable them connected occurrence and punish their determination partners forever,” according to Iranian authorities media. He besides dismissed the talks arsenic a screen aft immoderate 2,500 U.S. Marines trained successful amphibious landings arrived successful the Middle East.

The warfare has threatened planetary supplies of oil, earthy state and fertilizer and disrupted aerial travel. Iran’s grip connected the strategical Strait of Hormuz has shaken markets and prices, and present the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels ' introduction into the warfare could endanger shipping connected different important waterway, the Bab el-Mandeb strait to the Red Sea.

“We don’t cognize astatine what infinitesimal our homes could beryllium targeted,” said Razzak Saghir al-Mousawi, 71, describing relentless airstrikes arsenic Iranians crossing into Iraq urged the United States to extremity the war. “I americium decidedly afraid.”

More than 3,000 radical person been killed successful the warfare that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes connected Iran that triggered Iranian attacks connected Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab states. Meanwhile, Israel has invaded Lebanon portion targeting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. The warfare continues connected the integer beforehand arsenic well.

Pakistan hosts ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt

Pakistan said the overseas ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt met successful Islamabad without U.S. oregon Israeli participation, days aft the U.S. offered Iran a 15-point “action list” arsenic a model for a imaginable bid deal. The ministers are expected to conscionable again Monday.

Egypt’s Badr Abdelatty said the meetings are aimed astatine opening a “direct dialogue” betwixt the U.S. and Iran, which person mostly communicated done mediators. Both this warfare and past year's 12-day warfare began during rounds of indirect talks.

Iranian officials person rejected the U.S. model and publically dismissed the thought of negotiating nether pressure. But Press TV, the English-language limb of Iran’s authorities broadcaster, reported past week that Tehran had drafted its ain five-point connection that 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.”

Iran has eased immoderate restrictions connected commercialized ships successful the strait, agreeing precocious Saturday to let 20 much Pakistani-flagged vessels to walk through. It "sends a wide awesome that Iran remains unfastened for concern with the world, provided the United States abandons coercion,” said Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s erstwhile ambassador to Iran.

An advisor to the United Arab Emirates, Anwar Gargash, called for immoderate colony to the warfare to see “clear guarantees” that Iranian attacks connected neighbors volition not beryllium repeated.

Gargash said Iran's authorities has go “the main threat” to Persian Gulf information and called for compensation for attacks connected civilian infrastructure.

Iran threatens retaliatory strikes connected Israeli and US universities

Iran connected Sunday warned of escalation aft Israeli airstrikes deed respective universities, including ones that Israel claimed were utilized for atomic probe and development. Concerns implicit Iran's atomic programme are astatine the bosom of tensions.

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

U.S. colleges person campuses successful Qatar and the UAE, including Georgetown, New York and Northwestern universities.

“If the U.S. authorities wants its universities successful the portion spared, it should condemn the bombardment" of Iranian universities by midday Monday, the Guard said successful a statement.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said 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.

Both sides successful the warfare person threatened to onslaught civilian facilities, which critics person warned could beryllium a warfare crime.

Death toll continues to climb

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, officials said much than 1,100 radical person been killed.

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. Associated Press writer Samya Kullab successful Basra, Iraq, contributed to this report.

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