The concept of a 'short war' with Iran is an illusion, Zarif told Trump.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif took to Twitter to rebuke claims made by Donald Trump on Wednesday about the likelihood of the two countries going to war.
"Sanctions aren't alternatives to war," Zarif said in the tweet addressed to the US President, "they ARE war."
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He added that, unlike the White House's assessment, a "short war" between Washington and Tehran was an "illusion."
This is the latest instance of the war of words that has taken place between the two powers, with each day bringing a harvest of declarations, ranging from gung-ho, all out demands for regime change, to invitations to talk.
At the moment, much seems to be happening behind closed doors, with the effectiveness of further sanctions that were called for earlier this week yet to be determined.
Iran's economy is flagging, but the country has yet to see the popular uprisings that seemed to be an integral part of the US strategy. Trump went to great lengths to say that the conflict was with the regime alone, and not with regular Iranians.
Earlier this week, Zarif also praised Iran's greatest resource, the "Iranian people" and their "ability for sacrifice and martyrdom."
Despite heightened tensions, many in the region do not seem to believe there will be an actual armed confrontation between the US and Iran, with Iran's regional clout and complex financial networks a difficult target for US pressure.
Acting US Defense Secretary Mark Esper appealed to NATO allies on Thursday to publicly denounce Iran's hostile actions and consider participating in a still-evolving plan to better safeguard strategic waterways around the Strait of Hormuz.
Esper, at NATO headquarters in his international debut as Pentagon chief, also called for help moving tensions with Iran away from a military path – which included Iran's downing of a US drone last week and an aborted US military response – toward a more diplomatic one.
"I discussed the need to internationalize this issue by encouraging NATO allies and regional partners to voice their opposition to Iran's bad behavior and to help us deter further provocative acts by improving maritime security," Esper told reporters after the closed-door discussions.
US President Donald Trump's last-minute decision to call off planned strikes on Iran last week was the culmination of weeks of building military tensions. Washington also said that Iran was behind attacks on oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, which Tehran vehemently denies.
Washington's European allies, critical of Trump's decision to withdraw from a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, have reacted with alarm in recent weeks, repeatedly warning both sides that a small mistake could lead to war.
The European allies told the gathering they wanted to see the US and Iran de-escalate tensions, adding they would support all diplomatic efforts to do so, diplomats said.
On Tuesday, Trump threatened the "obliteration" of parts of Iran if it struck US interests. President Hassan Rouhani called White House policy "mentally retarded."
Esper said Washington was not looking for a war and instead sought European support for diplomacy.
"We do not seek armed conflict with Iran but we are ready to defend US forces and interests in the region. No one should mistake restraint for weakness," Esper told reporters.
A NATO role in crisis?
Many allies supported Esper's overall message at the NATO gathering, a US official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
But France voiced concerns in the closed-door session about any possibility of a formal NATO role in the Iran crisis, a NATO diplomat said. French officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Germany underscored the importance of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with major world partners, calling it "the only thing we have," the diplomat said.
Reuters reported earlier on Thursday that Iran was on course to breach a threshold in its nuclear agreement with world powers within days by accumulating more enriched uranium than permitted, although it has not done so yet, diplomats said, citing the latest data from UN inspectors.
Esper said no NATO allies made any contributions on Thursday but noted that it was still "early days" as the United States develops options to deter potential attacks on commercial shipping. A NATO diplomat said no specific requests were made.
Washington was looking at options including broader maritime surveillance, as well as setting up a "picket-line of ships" to protect the international waterways, Esper told reporters. Escorts for ships also are an option.
"We have to flesh that out on our end and we'll see what makes most sense," Esper said.
