Iran says U.S. or Israel strikes would trigger wider war

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Wednesday that any renewed U.S. or Israeli attacks would trigger retaliation spreading the conflict beyond the region.

Background to the Warning President Trump told reporters Tuesday he had been an hour away from ordering new strikes on Iran Monday evening. He said several Persian Gulf allies asked him to hold off, citing progress in peace talks brokered by Pakistan.

Trump added he would allow two or three days for negotiations but could order a major wave of strikes on a moment's notice if no agreement is reached.

Jinping told Russia's Vladimir Putin that a comprehensive ceasefire is of utmost urgency and resuming hostilities is inadvisable. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow stands ready to help end the conflict. China and Russia issued a joint statement condemning the earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes as illegal and destabilizing.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Beqaei called a U.S. claim that a girls' school struck on the first day of the war was located inside a missile facility an appalling lie. The head of U.S. Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, told the House Armed Services Committee the strike that killed more than 165 people remains under investigation.

Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington said he does not trust the answer and accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of showing callous disregard for civilian life. The Senate advanced a resolution Tuesday to limit President Trump's war powers in Iran by a 50-47 vote, with four Republicans joining Democrats.