Iran Says New U.S. Strikes Won't Shift Its Stance as Trump Floats Another Limited Operation

Iran said on Saturday that possible new U.S. strikes would not change its position, as its ambassador to Islamabad, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said Tehran remains open to talks under a Pakistan-brokered interim deal reached in June. He accused Washington of undermining diplomacy and prolonging the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz. He said Iran recently told Pakistan it was prepared to reopen the strait if the U.S. lifted its naval blockade, but accused President Trump of rejecting the offer. Separately, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since the war began, met judiciary head Hujjat al-Islam Mohseni Ejei. A readout on X said Iran would pursue compensation for damages from the U.S. and Israel. The U.S. had earlier dismissed an Iranian demand that it pay for rebuilding. Khamenei was hurt in the first-day strike on the palace that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several of his relatives. Trump said the U.S. may carry out another small operation like Epic Fury, after earlier pledging to halt strikes until after the midterms. An ambassador had threatened strikes this weekend.

Right-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while left-leaning and alternative outlets had. CBS News, on the left, leads with Iran's response: the ambassador's diplomatic claims, the Hormuz offer, and the Khamenei meeting, with background on the strike that killed his family. Truthout, the alternative outlet, takes a different angle. It focuses on Trump's remarks and on his claim of ignorance about the ambassador's threat. It also points to his earlier promise to pause strikes. The two outlets overlap on the prospect of renewed strikes, but CBS stresses Iranian statements and Truthout stresses Trump's contradictions.