Iranian president blames United States for failure of interim peace deal

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has blamed Washington for the collapse of talks on an interim deal to end the war with the United States and Israel. Speaking on state television on Saturday, he emphasised that a new attempt should still be made to conclude an agreement. The president has previously said that the US must end its threats against Iran and lift sanctions before any negotiations could take place. Pezeshkian’s comments come amid growing fears that military action against Iran could resume. On Friday, US President Donald Trump warned that Washington could launch another major operation against Iran. Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he remains committed to overthrowing the country's government. In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that even limited strikes would trigger a response "several times greater". The New York Times reported earlier this week that US and Israeli militaries have developed specific plans for renewed strikes against Iran. Leaders of both the US and Israel are facing imminent elections. Israelis are set to choose their next government on Tuesday, while Trump’s Republican Party faces crucial midterm elections on 3 November.