Iran threatens to kill one US soldier for each Iranian death, rejects ceasefire over Hormuz demands

Iran's threat and warnings

Iran's supreme joint military command declared on 24 July that it would kill one American soldier for each Iranian who dies, as reported by state media and Reuters. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps separately warned citizens of countries hosting American troops to evacuate to at least 500 metres from any hideouts or secret residences to ensure their safety.

The IRGC issued a statement recounting that after 40 days of a "victorious war", Iran had magnanimously agreed to negotiate and signed a ceasefire deal, but the US violated the agreement from the outset and, on 12 July, formally nullified it and resumed hostilities. Now, after 13 days of renewed war, the statement said, signs of new US defeat are visible and the enemy cannot prevail militarily, so it resorted to war crimes by targeting bridges, fishing piers, civilian boats, vehicles and railways, killing civilians.

US strikes and ceasefire refusal

The US military continued its air strikes against Iranian targets for a 13th consecutive night, hitting what it called "Iranian military objectives" overnight into 24 July. Despite the persistent campaign, Iran remains defiant. It rejected a US ceasefire proposal conveyed through the Iraqi prime minister, according to reports.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state television that Tehran will not accept a ceasefire unless its demands regarding the Strait of Hormuz are met. He discussed regional tensions by phone with his Omani counterpart, and an Omani diplomatic delegation arrived in Tehran to explore mechanisms for managing navigation in the strategic waterway.

Iran will not agree to a ceasefire unless its demands concerning the Strait of Hormuz are satisfied.

Diplomatic tracks

Pakistan, urged by China, is seeking ways to restart frozen US-Iran talks, three Pakistani sources said. Exploratory discussions took place this week during a visit by Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni to Islamabad, his second in 10 days. Momeni, seen as close to the IRGC, met with government officials and army chief General Asim Munir. The sources cautioned that many obstacles to resuming meaningful dialogue remain.

Gulf strikes revealed

The Wall Street Journal reported that Bahrain and Kuwait secretly launched fighter jets to strike targets inside Iran earlier this month, the first direct retaliation of their own. The targets included military installations such as missile and drone warehouses. The United Arab Emirates provided intelligence and air defence cover for the strikes, according to the report.