Iran’s Top Military Commander: If Trump Intends To Go To War, Why Is He Talking About Negotiations

According to the Tehran times, Iran’s top military commander offered a stark warning to Washington on Sunday, sharpening an already tense exchange between Tehran and the White House.

Major General Seyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, said any decision by the United States to launch military action would come at a cost, not only strategically, but politically for U.S. President Donald Trump.

Speaking at a ceremony in Tehran, Mousavi questioned the mixed signals coming from Washington, where talk of negotiations has been paired with public threats.

“If Trump intends to go to war, why is he talking about negotiations?” Mousavi asked during a ceremony.

He did not stop there. Repeating the question for emphasis, he added that such remarks are “not worthy of a president and are frivolous.”

The general said that if conflict were forced upon Iran, the response would be decisive. The lesson delivered, he warned, would prevent Trump and Washington from “causing [further] trouble in the world.”

The comments come at a sensitive moment. Relations between Tehran and Washington have seesawed between the possibility of renewed diplomacy and the risk of direct confrontation, particularly over Iran’s nuclear program and regional activities. Public rhetoric on both sides has grown sharper in recent weeks, raising concern among regional observers that miscalculation could close off diplomatic options.

Mousavi’s remarks reflect a broader Iranian position: that negotiations cannot proceed under the shadow of military threats. For Tehran, public warnings from Washington are viewed not as leverage but as provocation. For Washington, officials argue that pressure remains necessary to curb Iran’s ambitions.

What makes the exchange significant now is timing. With back-channel discussions reportedly under consideration, the tone set by senior officials could shape whether talks move forward or stall before they begin.

For now, both capitals appear to be speaking as much to domestic audiences as to each other, each signaling resolve while leaving open the question of what comes next.

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