Iran's Revolutionary Guard vows 'unforgettable lesson' for US as Tehran signals possible return to talks

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday vowed to deliver an 'unforgettable lesson' to the United States in a formal statement addressed to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, describing his message as 'a binding command, a divine covenant and a clear roadmap'. The pledge comes as Tehran simultaneously signals that a return to diplomatic talks remains possible if its national interests are respected.

US and Iranian forces have exchanged strikes for the ninth consecutive day, with the US confirming the deaths of at least three of its personnel. Iran's Health Ministry reported that at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured in US strikes on southern Iranian provinces since the start of July. In the latest wave of attacks, cities in northwestern Iran—Tabriz and Urmia—were targeted for the first time, killing at least one person and injuring several others, according to Iranian state sources.

A Malta-flagged vessel caught fire in Omani waters, approximately 15 kilometres northwest of Kumzar, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported. IRGC-affiliated media said the ship was carrying Saudi oil bound for the United States and was using the southern approaches of the Strait of Hormuz. The fire had not been extinguished, and the vessel was drifting without power at the time of publication.

Despite the ongoing military exchanges, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said diplomacy remains open. He noted that intermediaries have exchanged messages with Iran in recent days and that Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni's visit to Islamabad is part of Tehran's response to those communications. Momeni, who has a background in the IRGC, may be carrying a message from President Masoud Pezeshkian on possible negotiations, Iranian media reported.

Mediators have reportedly sought a 10-day ceasefire to revive the framework deal, which was put on ice last week after an apparent resumption of all-out hostilities. Baghaei said diplomacy and military defence are 'two powerful pillars' for protecting Iran's national interests. He added that Article 5 of the interim deal gives Tehran a future role in discussions over Strait of Hormuz management with Oman and other regional countries, and contains no provision allowing the US to launch military action based on its own interpretation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran, 'or at least some people inside Iran,' wants to control the strait and use it as leverage. 'We're always open to diplomacy. It has to be real. It has to be a deal that they're willing to live by,' he said before departing for the Philippines.

Iranian military officials have argued that fighting must continue until a new deterrence balance is established. Brigadier General Akrami-Nia stated: 'Rationality dictates that the war should continue until it reaches a point where it creates complete deterrence for the Iranian nation.' Parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Washington of bad faith, saying 'the Americans keep bringing new military equipment into the region while claiming they are seeking to end the war.'

President Pezeshkian said Iran has not withdrawn from any provisions of the framework deal and will stand 'until the last breath' in defending the country. Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since the start of the war, described Trump's signature on the interim ceasefire agreement as 'worthless and invalid' in a message read out on state-run television. The prolonged absence of the ayatollah has added uncertainty to an already opaque chain of command, with the IRGC increasingly visible as the key decision-making body in the ongoing war.