IRAN'S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD THREATENS TO SPREAD WAR BEYOND MIDDLE EAST IF U.S. ATTACKS AGAIN

THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS WARNED ON WEDNESDAY THAT ANY RENEWED U.S. MILITARY STRIKE ON IRAN WOULD TRIGGER A RESPONSE EXTENDING BEYOND THE MIDDLE EAST, THREATENING "CRUSHING BLOWS IN PLACES YOU DO NOT EXPECT," ACCORDING TO THE SEMI-OFFICIAL TASNIM NEWS AGENCY; THE WARNING CAME ONE DAY AFTER TRUMP TOLD REPORTERS HE HAD NEARLY ORDERED STRIKES ON TUESDAY BEFORE STANDING DOWN; IRAN ALSO SUBMITTED A NEW SET OF PEACE TERMS THIS WEEK THAT U.S. NEGOTIATORS REJECTED, INCLUDING A DEMAND FOR IRANIAN CONTROL OVER THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, RETENTION OF A NEAR-WEAPONS-GRADE URANIUM STOCKPILE, AND THE CONTINUED ABILITY TO THREATEN NEIGHBORS WITH MISSILES AND DRONES; SHIPPING DATA SHOWED ONLY 54 VESSELS TRANSITED THE STRAIT LAST WEEK, STILL FAR BELOW THE PRE-WAR AVERAGE OF 140 PER DAY; PEACE NEGOTIATIONS REMAIN STALLED SIX WEEKS AFTER TRUMP PAUSED OPERATION EPIC FURY FOR A CEASEFIRE, WHILE TRADERS ASSIGN ROUGHLY A 17 PERCENT CHANCE OF A PERMANENT DEAL BY MAY 31.