A day after Ali Khamenei's funeral, Trump announced the end of a ceasefire agreement signed last month, even as diplomatic channels remained open. "We have agreed to Iran talks, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the ceasefire is over," Trump said Friday.

Trump told the New York Post he had left instructions for Iran to face unprecedented bombing if Tehran succeeded in killing him. "I've left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they've never seen before," he said.

The warning reflected escalating rhetoric from both sides. In Iran, senior officials and clerics intensified calls for revenge. Ahmad Reza Hajati, the Friday prayer leader in Ahvaz, urged anyone with missiles or drones to kill Trump. IRGC commander-in-chief Ahmad Vahidi said punishing those responsible for Khamenei's death would remain a "certain, legitimate and unforgettable demand."

Despite the threats, diplomatic efforts continued. According to Axios, a new round of US-Iran talks was expected the following week, possibly in Switzerland. Al Arabiya reported that technical teams from both countries were due to meet in Pakistan on July 12.

Iran disputed some accounts of the negotiations. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had not requested talks with Washington, but had accepted a regional mediator's request to discuss recent developments. He said Iran conveyed its positions to Qatar on Friday in Mashhad.

The escalation followed military exchanges near the Strait of Hormuz earlier in the week. The US Treasury Department revoked a general license that had allowed Iranian oil sales, effective July 7, reversing a rare sanctions relief measure that had been central to the June negotiations.

Qatar and Pakistan continued mediation efforts to de-escalate tensions and address disputes over the Strait of Hormuz. The day ended with both sides signaling readiness for talks while trading threats that left the prospect of renewed conflict firmly in view.

Source: Iran International