The White House has threatened to unleash hell if Tehran does not agree to President Donald Trumps deal

Tehran said that its enemies - backed by an unnamed local state - are preparing to occupy one of its islands, amid reports that the Pentagon is sending thousands of elite airborne assault troops to the region.

"If they step out of line, all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will, without restriction, become the target of relentless attacks," Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.

The warning comes amid growing speculation that US forces could target Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub in the northern Persian Gulf, which processes 90% of the country's oil exports. Concerns over a potential ground operation have intensified following reports that the Pentagon is preparing to deploy 2,000 additional troops from an airborne assault unit to the region.

At the same time, the White House has threatened to "unleash hell" on Tehran unless it reaches a deal with Washington. Western media outlets had previously reported that the US has been trying to establish a one-month ceasefire mechanism with Iran and that US President Donald Trump has been seeking an off-ramp from the war and has sent Tehran a 15-point plan to end the conflict.

Tehran has called talks with Washington "illogical" at this point, adding that it seeks a permanent solution and not a temporary ceasefire that has previously led to "backstabbing."

Here are the latest developments:

• The US Department of War claimed on Wednesday that the almost four-week-long Operation Epic Fury remains "on plan or ahead of plan" in achieving what it described as "very clear military objectives" - even as the scope and ultimate goals of the operation remain subject to interpretation.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the hostilities between the US, Israel, and Iran are spiraling out of control, threatening to plunge the world into a broader conflict and a deeper economic crisis.

• President Trump claimed the US has already "won" and ongoing diplomatic talks with Iran are the reason why he postponed militarystrikes on Iranian power plantsfor five days.
• Tehran has denied thattalkswith the US are taking place, with Iran's parliamentary speaker saying such claims are "fake news" and are being "used to manipulate financial and oil markets."

Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates. You can also read our previous updateshere.

(RT.com)