Iran has warned that another war with the United States could last longer than the previous round of fighting, while Donald Trump suggested American forces still had targets to strike. The latest exchange of threats comes as diplomatic efforts continue and Washington and Tehran consider whether negotiations can prevent another escalation in the Middle East, according to Arab News. Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said that the country was prepared for a prolonged conflict if fighting resumed. According to Iranian state television, he warned that “a potential future war could last longer than [the] previous conflict, and the American president would not be in a position to dictate the timing or the conditions of its conclusion” The warning followed Trump’s comments that the United States still needed to deal with “one or two” remaining targets in Iran. Speaking to reporters, the president said those targets could be handled “in 10 minutes.” He also pointed to Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground nuclear complex near Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility: “You probably could look at Pickaxe Mountain, and you have to take care of that. We can do that all very quickly.” The strikes may resume Trump repeated his warning during a campaign rally in Iowa, telling the crowd that he might have to give Tehran “the hammer” at an unspecified time. According to Axios, Trump spoke with Netanyahu about negotiations with Iran and the possibility of restarting military operations. A U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran after the midterms could trigger a war far more destructive than the last, with Tehran likely abandoning the restraint it showed during earlier rounds of fighting.Despite Qatar's ongoing efforts to negotiate an agreement over the Strait of…— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 2, 2026 The outlet cited U.S. and Israeli officials who said Netanyahu was pushing for strikes immediately after Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections, while Trump preferred to give diplomatic efforts more time. One Israeli official described the conversation as “tough,” while a US official called it “direct.” Trump confirmed he’d spoken with Netanyahu about Iran but declined to provide further details. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have continued warning Washington against launching another attack. Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi echoed a warning from Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, saying that “in a conflict with America, there are no geographical limitations; a vast theatre has been defined for inflicting damage upon the enemy.” Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei added another development to the negotiations, claiming he’d received a letter from U.S. Vice President JD Vance seeking to revive talks. Rezaei said he had noticed a positive change in Washington’s tone but had not yet responded. According to Arab News, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said that the country hoped the latest exchanges would lead to a breakthrough. However, he added that the region was preparing for the possibility of another escalation, saying it was “not in the interest of the region to go through another round … But I think we’re also, as we’ve shown before, braced for the worst.”