A renewed conflict between the United States and Iran is "likely", a senior Iranian military official said on Saturday, following comments by US President Donald Trump that Washington may be "better off" without a deal. Mohammad Jafar Asadi, a senior officer in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said a "renewed conflict between Iran and the United States is likely".

Another IRGC commander, Ali Rafiei Atani, said Iran wanted the US to test its strength further. "We hope America makes a mistake and tests its power on the ground as well. It was defeated at sea and in the air, and we would like it to test itself on the ground too," he said, adding that the conflict had "shattered America's hollow power".

The conflict, which began on February 28 involving the US and Israel, has been on hold since a temporary ceasefire was reached on 8 April following unsuccessful peace talks in Pakistan.

Tensions also remain high around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route that carries around 20% of the world's oil. US Senator Lindsey Graham told theFinancial Times:"We have the capability to increase ship flow" through the strait.

He added that the US should do "whatever combination of events is necessary to start the flow".

Iran has reportedly sought to reopen the waterway and end a US blockade as part of its latest diplomatic proposal, presented via intermediaries in Pakistan.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran remained open to diplomacy. "Iran has presented its plan to Pakistan as a mediator with the aim of permanently ending the imposed war, and now the ball is in America's court to choose the path of diplomacy or to continue the confrontational approach," he said at a meeting with foreign diplomats in Tehran.

"Iran is ready for both paths in order to ensure its national interests and security, and in any case, it will always maintain its pessimism and distrust of America and its honesty in the path of diplomacy," he added.

President Trump saidon Friday he was "not satisfied" with the proposal.

"Frankly, maybe we're better off not making a deal at all. Do you want to know the truth? Because we can't let this thing go on," he told reporters at an event in West Palm Beach, Florida. He added that the conflict had "been going on too long".

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