Trump warns Iran of devastating retaliation as Pakistan, Qatar push fresh peace roadmap

• US president vows Tehran will pay ‘many times over’ for any American troops killed

• Pakistan, Qatar propose return to pre-July 9 positions, two-week ceasefire to revive stalled US-Iran talks

• Pezeshkian says Iran in ‘full-scale war’ with US, defends Islamabad Memorandum as favourable to Tehran

• Iran confirms receipt of mediation proposals, says diplomacy remains active despite escalating conflict

• IRGC vows to repel any US ground invasion as hostilities spread across the Gulf region

• Pentagon identifies two US soldiers killed in Jordan; American death toll in conflict rises to 17

• Bahrain says Iranian attack targeted civil air navigation systems as regional tensions continue to escalate

 TEHRAN/WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump on Monday warned that Iran would pay “many times over” for any American troops killed as hostilities between Washington and Tehran continued to intensify, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that his country was engaged in a “full-scale war” with the United States. Meanwhile, Pakistan and Qatar jointly urged both sides to return to their pre-July 9 positions as the first step towards reviving stalled peace talks amid the rapidly escalating situation in the Gulf.

“Every time Iran kills an American soldier they will pay for that killing many times over,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

pic.twitter.com/FrkHCMnEGo

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 20, 2026

“This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every leader in the military,” he added.

 Pakistan, Qatar propose return to pre-July 9 positions

Pakistan and Qatar have jointly proposed that the United States and Iran return to their pre-July 9 positions "as a first step" towards reviving negotiations aimed at permanently ending their months-long conflict, Pakistani government sources told Anadolu on Monday.

The proposal, jointly drafted by Islamabad and Doha after consultations with regional partners, calls on both sides to restore the positions they held before the latest round of hostilities erupted.

"Returning to the pre-July 9 position will be the first step to halt the raging hostilities and pave the way for the resumption of talks either in Islamabad or Doha," a Pakistani source close to the ongoing mediation efforts said.

According to the proposal, Iran would "immediately" reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States would end the blockade of Iranian ports and lift sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil.

The proposal also recommends a two-week ceasefire to halt ongoing retaliatory military strikes and create space for the resumption of negotiations.

Pakistani sources said that, if accepted by both sides, Washington and Tehran would "immediately" resume the stalled talks, with implementation of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon placed at the top of the agenda.

The mediators remain hopeful of a "positive" response from both countries and expect negotiations to resume "very soon," the sources added.

Iran engaged in 'full-scale war' with US: Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Iran was now engaged in a “full-scale war” with the United States and that the country must be prepared to bear the consequences of the conflict.

“The reality is that today the Islamic Republic of Iran is engaged in a full-scale war. We must be realistic and accept the natural consequences of this resistance,” Pezeshkian said in a presidential statement carried by Al Jazeera.

Referring to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed with the United States, Pezeshkian said the agreement overwhelmingly favoured Iran.

“In none of the 14 clauses … have we backed down from our rights, principles, national interests, revolutionary values, and beliefs,” he said.

“A major part of the achievements has been in favour of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and practically no clause can be found that has created a unilateral benefit for the American side,” he added.

Hostilities resumed in the Gulf region this month despite the memorandum signed in June.

 'Actions must confirm claims, not contradict them'

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf said the United States continued deploying military assets to the region while publicly claiming it sought to stop the war.

“They've bet on our intelligence being as brief as their own IQ,” Ghalibaf wrote on X, accusing Washington of contradictory rhetoric and actions.

آمریکایی‌ها مدام تجهیزات نظامی جدید به منطقه می‌آورند و ادعا می‌کنند دنبال توقف جنگند. روی هوش ما اندازهٔ آی کیوی مختصر خودشان حساب کرده‌اند.
ما در شناخت این آمریکایی‌بازی‌ها به مرحلهٔ استاد تمامی رسیده‌ایم و بر این اساس آماده شده‌ایم. اقدامات باید مؤید ادعاها باشد نه ناقض آن‌ها.

— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) July 20, 2026

He said Iran fully understood what he described as "American games" and had prepared accordingly.

“Actions must confirm claims, not contradict them,” he added.

 Pentagon identifies US troops killed in Jordan

The Pentagon identified Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, as the two American service members killed in Iranian strikes on Jordan on Friday, according to Al Jazeera.

The US military said both soldiers had been supporting operations against the armed group ISIL (ISIS).

On Saturday, US Central Command confirmed that two troops were killed while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan.

The US military said the total number of American deaths in the US-Israeli war on Iran has now risen to 17.

The deaths underscore the growing risks faced by American forces deployed across the Middle East, where military bases have increasingly become targets of Iranian retaliatory strikes following the collapse of peace efforts.

Iran reviewing mediation proposals

Iran said on Monday it had received proposals from mediators aimed at reducing tensions with the United States and was reviewing them while reaffirming its commitment to diplomacy despite the continuing exchange of fire.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said mediators had conveyed several proposals to Tehran.

“We have received the proposals through mediators, but will not discuss their details at this stage,” Baghaei said in comments carried by state broadcaster IRIB.

He said Iran's diplomatic apparatus continued to work alongside the country's armed forces.

“While our armed forces respond firmly and decisively to the source of American aggression, diplomacy is fully aware of its duties and spares no effort in fulfilling them,” he said.

Baghaei added that Iranian diplomats “will not abandon their duty,” just as the armed forces “will not neglect their duty to defend the homeland.”

He also said Iran, in coordination with Oman, remained determined to take all necessary measures to fully exercise its sovereignty and prevent security threats in the Strait of Hormuz.

Baghaei rejected President Trump's claim that Iran had released an American citizen previously detained on espionage charges.

Echoing an earlier statement from Iran's judiciary, he said no American prisoner matching Trump's description had been released.

“The individual in question was not a prisoner and was not charged with espionage,” Baghaei said.

Last week, Trump announced on Truth Social that Iran had released an American citizen whom he said had been "wrongfully detained" since December 2024.

“She is now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition. The United States of America appreciates this gesture of goodwill by Iran,” Trump had said.

 IRGC vows to repel any US ground incursion

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed on Monday to "immediately repel" any American ground invasion of Iranian territory.

Speaking at a ceremony honouring air defence forces in Shahroud, Brigadier General Rouhollah Nouri, deputy commander of the IRGC Ground Forces, said all defence units remained at the highest level of operational readiness.

“The IRGC Ground Forces, particularly the defense units, are at the highest level of readiness and will neutralize any hostile act or enemy infiltration at the very first moment,” Nouri said, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

“The continuous vigilance and permanent readiness of the armed forces guarantee Iran's sustainable security, and this level of preparedness is being pursued seriously across all operational sectors,” he added.

His remarks came as the United States continued airstrikes on multiple Iranian targets, primarily in southern Iran, while Tehran launched retaliatory attacks on facilities and military bases it says are used by US forces across the region.

Early Monday, explosions were reported in several Iranian provinces, including the first reported strike on the northwestern city of Tabriz since the latest US offensive began last week.

The renewed exchange of fire comes despite the Pakistan-brokered Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed in June to end the conflict and pave the way for a lasting peace agreement.

 Baghaei warns of consequences for US ground invasion

At a separate news conference in Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said there were figures within Iran's leadership who were “counting down the minutes to welcome” any US ground invasion.

He warned that any attempt by the United States to seize Kharg Island in southern Iran would carry serious consequences.

“The United States will face consequences of any adventure,” he said, according to Al Jazeera.

Responding to questions about diplomacy, Baghaei rejected the notion that Iran faced a choice between war and negotiations.

“I reject the duality of either war or diplomacy. Diplomacy is a tool through which we pursue our national interests, just like war,” he said.

Baghaei reiterated Tehran's position that there was “no ambiguity” in the interim memorandum signed with Washington.

“The text of the memorandum of understanding is a short text and has 14 clauses,” he said.

“We had said from the very beginning that the responsibility for the future management of the Strait of Hormuz lies with Iran and this issue will be pursued in consultation with Oman and through dialogue with regional countries.”

“The text is completely clear, and there is no excuse for America to break the treaty.”

He also confirmed that mediators had recently conveyed fresh messages from the United States despite the continuing conflict.

“We have been informed by mediators, we have received messages — without going into details — but the main point is that the diplomatic apparatus has been active in recent days and ideas have been conveyed to us by certain mediators,” he said.

Baghaei blamed the United States for the latest escalation.

“We have repeatedly emphasised that we have no hostility towards the countries of the region, but we expect them to do their duty and not allow attacks on Iran from their territory... As long as these crimes continue our armed forces will respond to them.”

 Iran attacks Bahrain's civil aviation systems

Meanwhile, Bahrain's Civil Aviation Authority said Iran had targeted the country's civil air navigation systems, but confirmed that the attack had not disrupted aviation operations.

In a statement carried by Bahrain's state news agency, the authority said flights and air traffic transiting Bahraini airspace continued to operate normally despite the attack.

 Iran presses IAEA to condemn US attack on nuclear facility

Iran has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to denounce US air strikes on the Darkhovin nuclear plant, according to Al Jazeera.

“Iran expects the IAEA board of governors and the director general to clearly state their position on this matter in condemning the US crime,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at a news conference in Tehran.

He said the UN nuclear watchdog has previously made “political statements regarding nuclear issues”.

Baghaei condemned the attack, saying the Darkhovin site was used for peaceful purposes. The facility in southwestern Iran is still under construction.

 Iran will end war with US when it has “the upper hand in the field”: FM Araghchi

Iran will end the war with the US when it has “the upper hand in the field”, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with state media on Monday, according to Al Jazeera.

Speaking to the IRNA news agency, Araghchi said the most critical decision in crisis management was identifying the precise moment to halt hostilities and begin negotiations.

“The end of the war is possible either through absolute military victory or through negotiations. The right time to negotiate is precisely when you have achieved a reliable field and strategic achievement on the military front," he said.

“You cannot take risks with the lives of the people and the fate of the entire country. Decisions must be made based on accurate and complete calculations.”

Araghchi said that politicians must constantly weigh whether continuing the war would increase gains or impose heavier human and national costs.

“Despite some losses, we emerged as a decisive international player in this war and demonstrated the strength of the system,” he said.

 IRGC promises to ‘neutralise’ any US infiltration on Iranian soil ‘in an instant’

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said its ground forces rely on “up-to-date equipment, continuous training, and improved operational capacity” and are “at the highest level of readiness” against any US infiltration, according to Al Jazeera.

“The constant vigilance of the armed forces and their continuous readiness guarantee the country’s sustainable security, and this readiness is pursued with seriousness in all operational sectors,” an IRGC statement cited by Tasnim news agency said.

Brigadier-General Ruhollah Nouri, the IRGC’s deputy ground forces commander, said Iranian forces are prepared to “neutralise any enemy incursion immediately”.

آژیرهای خطر در بحرین برای پنجمین بار به صدا درآمدند

— خبرگزاری تسنیم (@Tasnimnews_Fa) July 20, 2026

Ship ablaze in Strait of Hormuz after attack; crew rescued

A vessel caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile on Monday, according to Al Jazeera.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said, “The crew safely abandoned the vessel and have been recovered by a tugboat.”

The attack occurred 8 nautical miles (15km) northwest of Kumzar, Oman.

“The fire has not been extinguished, and the vessel is currently adrift,” it said in a statement. “Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO while authorities investigate.”

 1 killed, several injured in US attack on northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz

One person was killed and several others injured after the US army attacked a military area southwest of Tabriz in northwestern Iran, Mehr News Agency reported Monday.

The crisis management department of Iran's East Azerbaijan province said the explosion heard in the city was linked to the attack on the military site.

As a result, one person was killed, and a number of others were injured in the attack, it added.

This comes after the US informed Israel that it plans to intensify its military campaign against Iran over the coming days, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN said on Sunday.

U.S. service members aboard amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) support flight operations day and night from the Arabian Sea as CENTCOM enforces the naval blockade against Iran. As of July 20, the U.S. military has redirected 7 commercial vessels and disabled 1 to prevent… pic.twitter.com/a1gtwipPUf

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 20, 2026

Multiple locations struck in Bushehr; scale under investigation: Iran media

Several sites in the Iranian city of Bushehr, southwestern Iran, were attacked on Monday morning, the city’s governor said, while a loud explosion was also heard in Isfahan, central Iran, Mehr News Agency reported.

The Bushehr governor said the extent of the attacks was still under investigation.

Separately, Mehr reported an explosion was heard in the city of Isfahan, but the exact cause and source had not yet been determined.

 Bahrain activates alarms, urges public to move to safe areas

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry on Monday said alarm sirens were activated, urging citizens to remain calm and head to the nearest safe location.

The ministry also called on the public to follow updates through official channels, according to the statement.

The alert came a few hours after Bahrain issued a similar warning earlier in the day.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

 Kuwait says air defenses responding to drone threats

Kuwait’s General Staff of the Armed Forces said on Monday that the country’s air defenses were responding to “hostile” drone threats.

The army said any explosions heard by the public were the result of air defense systems intercepting targets.

This comes just a few hours after the Interior Ministry announced the activation of warning sirens and urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

 IRGC claims ‘US military facilities’ hit at Kuwait airbase

Iran’s IRGC said it targeted “US military facilities” at the Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait in the latest wave of its operations, according to Al Jazeera.

The IRGC claimed a drone attack destroyed an early-warning radar system and that separate strikes hit an aviation equipment warehouse and a hangar housing US MQ-9 drones, setting several aircraft on fire, according to a statement carried by the IRIB broadcaster.

US informs Israel of plans to intensify attacks on Iran

The United States has informed Israel that it plans to intensify its military campaign against Iran over the coming days, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported on Sunday.

Citing unnamed Israeli and US security sources, KAN said Washington has told Tel Aviv that it prefers to keep Israel out of the current phase of the escalation, despite discussions over possible scenarios involving Iranian retaliation against Israel.

According to the report, assessments shared during strategic consultations between the two allies indicate that Iran could launch attacks on Israel, potentially triggering an Israeli strike inside Iran, a scenario that Washington is seeking to avoid for now.

KAN also said the US has strengthened its military presence in the region, sending additional equipment and munitions to Israel over the past 24 hours to support American warplanes.

More than 10 US aerial refuelling aircraft have arrived in Israel from Europe and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as part of preparations for possible Iranian attacks on American interests in the region, it added.

Separately, the Israeli news website Walla quoted an unnamed Israeli Air Force source as saying that the US military plans to deploy 100 aerial refuelling aircraft to Israeli military bases and Ramon Airport in southern Israel.

The source said any further escalation in US attacks on Iran would require additional American refuelling aircraft to be stationed in Israel.

Walla added that some of the aircraft could also operate from Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, noting that 14 additional US refuelling aircraft had already arrived in Israel over the weekend.

Water, electricity, gas networks stable in quake area near Iran’s Kuzaran

As we reported earlier, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake has struck near Kuzaran in the western Kermanshah province.

The country’s state media reported that relief, service and law enforcement teams had been dispatched to the earthquake-stricken area.

A spokesperson for the crisis management authority was quoted by state broadcaster IRIB as saying that the water, electricity and gas networks were stable, and relevant teams were further assessing conditions in the area.

US strikes Iran for ninth day

US forces hit Iran for a ninth consecutive day on Monday as concerns grew over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran said two oil tankers had exploded and been immobilised.

In a statement, US Central Command said it had begun "a new wave of strikes" aimed at "degrading" Iran's ability to attack commercial vessels in the strait's vital shipping lanes. It gave no further details.

The strikes are part of an escalating cycle of attacks between the US and Iran after an interim ceasefire agreement signed a month ago unravelled, deepening a struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz that has disrupted energy supplies and stoked fears of global inflation.

Iran's Tasnim news agency said US missiles struck several Iranian cities early on Monday.

Explosions were heard in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini, according to Tasnim.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would continue to target Iran while it attacked global commercial shipping.

"The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterways, and they continue to launch against the ships in that international waterway," Rubio said.

“As long as Iran insists on controlling an international waterway, we're gonna have to respond to that. The United States always remains open to a diplomatic solution.”

 Iran says attacked US bases, oil tankers damaged

For its part, the IRGC announced a surprise strike against "the enemy's special operations headquarters in Syria's Al-Tanf area."

The Revolutionary Guards also said they targeted US aircraft at Jordan's Aqaba airport with ballistic missiles.

Iran earlier conducted a drone attack on US military assets and equipment at Kuwait's Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base, Iranian state TV reported early on Sunday.

Kuwait's government said a desalination plant was attacked for the second day running, causing a fire, in what it called a direct strike on vital civilian infrastructure.

Concerns about the flow of energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz have persisted since the United States and Iran resumed open hostilities after accusing each other of repeatedly violating a ceasefire deal.

Satellite Images Show Major Damage at US Military Base in Jordan

Satellite imagery recorded yesterday has revealed extensive damage to a US Army base in Jordan from recent attacks.
The images confirm multiple points of destruction across the facility. pic.twitter.com/VuYac3itiq

— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) July 20, 2026

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said late Sunday that it received a report that a vessel was on fire not far from the Omani coast, although it had not verified a cause.

The Revolutionary Guards said on Monday that two oil tankers had exploded and been immobilised after attempting to transit what it described as an unsafe southern route through Hormuz, alleging the vessels had been encouraged by the US military to use the passage.

Reuters could not immediately verify the incident.

The statement gave no details on the vessels' names, flags, crews or any casualties.

The Guards said the waterway would remain unsafe as long as what it called US "aggression" in the region continued, warning that "this passage will not be safe for the transit of petrochemical products, nor even a single drop of oil and gas."

Four vessels made the transit through Hormuz on Sunday, down from eight the previous day, LSEG data showed. At least three oil products' tankers and one Very Large Crude Carrier have entered the strait since Friday to load oil, the data showed.