US President Donald Trump said Friday that the US has agreed to continue holding talks with Iran, but reiterated that the ceasefire with Tehran is over as Iran threatened to expand its retaliatory attacks to targets in Israel.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the ceasefire is OVER!” Trump wrote, on his Truth Social platform.

The statement’s implications were unclear, however, especially given that the White House signaled Thursday night that it was prepared to adhere to the terms of the memorandum of understanding it signed with Iran last month if Tehran were to do the same.

The Truth Social post came amid reports that Qatari, Pakistani and other mediators had scrambled to quell the US-Iran flare-up, and to prevent the MOU from collapsing altogether.

A Qatari delegation visited the Islamic Republic on Friday, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Axios reported that the visit was coordinated with the US and quoted a diplomat as saying, “It’s clear both sides want to come back to the MOU.”

According to Axios, mediators thought the US and Iran had made progress toward a nuclear accord during talks held prior to the flare-up.

Iran threatens to hit Israel in response to US attacks

Hours before Trump’s social media post, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Council threatened to target Israel in response to American attacks.

“As we have already announced, any attack on infrastructure will be retaliated against, and the criminal Zionist regime responsible for these atrocities will not be spared from the response of our fighters,” said Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, in a statement carried by state TV.

In Israel, the Kan public broadcaster reported that some in Jerusalem wanted to renew strikes on Iran, but were waiting for Trump’s go-ahead to do so.

The unsourced report said officials in Jerusalem estimated that the mutual attacks between the US and Iran would continue in the coming days.

Similarly, The New York Post quoted a Jerusalem source who said Israel was interested in joining future strikes and fully renewing the war.

“We’re willing to do it again, if needed,” the unnamed source was quoted as saying on Wednesday, before the US began striking Iran.

The source added that while Israel was “not eager to go back to the day when people have to go to shelters,” it doesn’t want to “ignore what’s happening in........

© The Times of Israel