Dubai: Iran has warned the United States against a ground invasion, with top officials stating that American troops would be “set on fire,” as regional diplomats met in Pakistan on Sunday to seek an end to the month-long war. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf dismissed recent weekend talks as a cover for US troop deployments in the Middle East, asserting that Iran is ready to confront any American forces on its soil and will respond strongly against both US troops and Washington’s regional allies, according to state media.
The remarks came as Pakistan hosted foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt in Islamabad for talks aimed at de-escalating regional hostilities, without US or Israeli participation. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had held “extensive discussions” on the conflict. Despite these efforts, Israeli and US strikes on Iran continued, prompting Tehran to launch missiles and drones across the region.
The month-long conflict has claimed more than 3,000 lives, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel and neighbouring Gulf Arab states. On Sunday, Israel announced waves of incoming strikes from Iran, with explosions reported throughout Tehran. The talks in Islamabad, scheduled days after the US proposed a 15-point “action list” for a potential peace deal, were aimed at opening direct dialogue between Washington and Tehran, which have largely communicated through intermediaries.
During the weekend, Iran eased some restrictions on commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing 20 more Pakistani-flagged vessels to transit the strategic passage, officials said. However, the meetings offered little sign of narrowing the gap between the US and Iran, as Iranian leaders publicly rejected negotiations. Meanwhile, the US dispatched additional Marines and paratroopers to the region, while Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launched missiles targeting what they called “sensitive Israeli military sites” for the first time. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington could achieve its objectives without ground troops, amid domestic opposition to expanding the war.
Iran has rejected the US framework and dismissed negotiations under pressure, although reports indicate Tehran drafted its own five-point proposal, including halting attacks on Iranian officials, guarantees against future strikes, reparations, and Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Following Israeli airstrikes on universities, including institutions claimed to be used for nuclear research, the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard warned that Iranian and American universities in the region would be considered legitimate targets unless safety assurances were provided. The Guard demanded that the US condemn Israeli strikes on Iranian universities, citing institutions such as the Iran University of Science and Technology and Isfahan University of Technology.
Casualties from the conflict have been heavy. Iran reports more than 1,900 deaths, while Israel has reported 19. In Lebanon, where Israel has launched operations against Hezbollah in the south, more than 1,100 people have died. Iraqi security forces have lost 80 personnel following interventions by Iranian-backed militias. Across the Gulf states, 20 people have been killed, and four deaths have been reported in the occupied West Bank.
With PTI inputs