Professor Mohammad Marandi said that Iran is actively preparing for war with the United States despite a ceasefire taking effect in Lebanon on Thursday. The Lebanese army confirmed Israel violated the truce with overnight attacks immediately after its implementation.
Marandi argued that the ceasefire resulted from Iranian pressure and resistance efforts, not actions by the Lebanese government. "This ceasefire doesn't really have anything to do with the Lebanese government," he said, claiming the government in Beirut is "a puppet rich government and they have no cards to play."
The professor detailed Iran's strategic position, saying that Tehran controls passage through the Strait of Hormuz and will treat ships differently based on their ownership and affiliations. According to Marandi, Iran has presented a 10-point peace plan including non-aggression, Iranian control of the strait, acceptance of uranium enrichment, sanctions relief, and withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Marandi expressed deep skepticism about President Donald Trump's reliability despite Trump publicly accepting Iran's peace plan as a "workable basis of negotiation." "Nothing that Trump says means anything," Marandi contended. He said that subsequent negotiations in Islamabad failed.
The professor pointed to Mossad head David Barnea's statement that Mossad's mission in Iran will remain incomplete until regime change occurs as evidence of ongoing threats. He also cited the Russian Security Council's warning of a massive U.S. military buildup in West Asia.
Marandi argued that the alignment between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu significantly increases the risk of conflict. "The president of the United States is not Donald Trump, it's Netanyahu," he said, describing both leaders in harsh terms.
The professor warned that further war between Iran and the U.S. would cause a global economic depression worse than 1929. He accused Western journalists in Beirut of dishonesty regarding Israeli attacks.
"The chances for another round of war against Iran are high," Marandi said, while noting that global awareness has shifted significantly from three years ago.
