Ex-Pentagon chief anticipates US-Iran standoff to continues for six months more

US-Israeli strikes on IranEx-Pentagon chief anticipates US-Iran standoff to continues for six months more Leon Panetta noted that there are very few options available to bring this war to an endLONDON, September 6. /TASS/. The armed conflict between the United States and Iran may continue for six months more, former Pentagon chief (2011-2013) and former CIA director (2009-2011) Leon Panetta said. "I think the likelihood is this war is going to continue for another six months without being resolved," he said in an interview with The Guardian. "It’s no mystery that the United States and Iran are caught in a terrible stalemate, in which there really are very few options available to bring this war to an end," he said, adding that the Trump administration is risking to be dragged into a protracted war in the Middle East. According to Panetta, the conflict seems to be on course to become "another failed war" in the Middle East "like Iraq and Afghanistan." The United States’ adversaries "see weakness in terms of our ability to be able to really implement our military capability of defending our country," he noted. US President Donald Trump, in his words has "boxed himself in" and now has three options: to "admit that it’s a failed war" and walk away, which he thinks to be highly improbable; to continue exchanging strikes, with both sides attempting to "avoid the startup of a more dangerous war" but refusing to negotiate or surrender, which he believes will lead to a protracted war; and to finally take control of the Strait of Hormuz and this way strip Iran of its "most dangerous leverage point" over the US. The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding envisaging an immediate ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, the United States resumed large-scale attacks on Iran overnight to July 8, having accused it of breaching the existing agreements in what concerned the Strait of Hormuz, a global chokepoint for approximately 25% of oil and some 20% of LNG supplies. The Trump administration recently signaled an end to any large-scale use of force against Iran and a transition to putting economic pressure on the Islamic Republic through sanctions instead. TagsUnited StatesIranIraqDonald TrumpZelensky says Ukraine’s major problems are coming winter, budget deficitAccording to Vladimir Zelensky, Ukraine, amongst other things, is facing a serious shortfall in funding for its defense industry, the army, and humanitarian causesRead morePutin notes at meeting with US negotiators that situation is difficult to discuss"And we will have to deal with it today", Russian President said in his opening remarks Read morePeople see special military operation’s task in suppressing Nazism — Lavrov"The majority of those I've spoken with view the special military operation as another task to suppress Nazism," he saidRead moreUkraine, US, Europe agree to hold another meeting soon — ZelenskyAccording to Zelensky, US special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner have actually resumed the negotiating process after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and today’s talks in Kiev Read moreRussian air defense forces down 4 aerial bombs, 400 Ukrainian drones over past 24 hoursIn addition, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that units of the Ukrainian military lost approximately 1,315 military personnel in the special military operation zone over the past 24 hoursRead moreUS should consider realities on ground in settlement of Ukraine conflict — Russian MFADeputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov says the situation "is constantly changing, and not in Kiev’s favor"Read moreShootout in Kiev between special services testifies to Ukraine's looming collapse — expertThis is not the first such incident involving a conflict and shootout, military expert Vitaly Kiselev said Read morePutin, Trump to continue maintaining personal contacts — Kremlin aideRussian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov pointed out that the work on behalf of US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will continueRead moreRussia’s Khachanov advances at 2026 US Open with straight-set win over French BonziThe Russian tennis player is now set to play in the next round against the winner of the duel between Learner Tien of the United States and Jakub Mensik from the Czech RepublicRead morePutin notes Russian troops’ success in special mil-op during talks with US negotiatorsYury Ushakov said that the Russian side provided clear and comprehensive assessments of the situation regarding the special military operation’s developmentsRead moreRussian forces hit Dnepropetrovsk plant producing drones for strikes inside RussiaAccording to the ministry, a major fire broke out at the siteRead moreRequest for pausing strikes on Kiev came through official channels — PutinPresident Vladimir Putin made this statement at a meeting with American negotiators in the Kremlin Read moreWitkoff thanks Putin for meetingUS Presidential Envoy has described his meeting with Russian President as one of the best and most memorable experiences of his career Read moreUS envoys Witkoff, Kushner make stop in Poland’s Rzeszow en-route from Moscow to KievThe plane has landed at 1:31 a.m. local timeRead moreTrump continues to try to contribute to resolution of conflict in Ukraine — PutinRussian President said that the discussion with the Americans will encompass all aspects of the conflict Read moreUS wants to work with Moscow, Kiev on ‘refreshed’ peace proposal — media"Things may move in a good direction if there's a follow-up by all parties involved," the source told Axios Read moreRussia seeks sustainable peace in Ukraine conflict — Kremlin spokesmanAccording to Dmitry Peskov, The Ukraine process is currently on hold Read moreUkrainian people could virtually disappear within two generations — expertThe death rate in Ukraine is four times higher than the birth rateRead moreRussian minister sees financial points of convergence with USThe Russian finance minister took part in a G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in the US city of Asheville from August 31 to September 1Read morePutin says that Moscow finds it comfortable to work with Witkoff, KushnerHere, of course, the quality of mediation and trust in those involved are very important, Russian President said Read moreAccusations regarding Leipzig UAV incident incite ‘real war’ — Russian foreign ministerStatements made by Merz about making Germany the leading military power in Europe again, they are being put into practice, Sergey Lavrov saidRead moreFirst round of talks with US envoys ends in KievAccording to Reuters, national security advisers to the British, French, and German leaders have arrived in Kiev to take part in the talksRead moreMerz acknowledges Germany’s loss of industrial jobsA study by credit insurer Allianz Trade found that more than 30 German companies with annual revenues of at least €50 million filed for insolvency in the first half of this year Read moreWitkoff says ‘a lot of progress’ made at Moscow talks on UkraineNew ideas were heard, US presidential envoy said Read moreRussian forces destroy two Ukrainian UAV command centers in Kharkov RegionA UAV control center of the enemy's 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade in Prudyanka was completely destroyed by a light multipurpose guided missile Read morePutin may meet Trump at APEC summit in China — Kremlin aideEach of the leaders plans to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Yuri Ushakov saidRead moreOdessa port nearly lifeless following Russian strikes — resistance memberRussian strikes targeted only dry cargo ships "used to transport dual-use goods, as well as fuel storage tanks intended for military purposes."Read morePutin expresses gratitude, best wishes to TrumpRussian President at a meeting with American negotiators in the Kremlin asked them to convey his gratitude and best wishes to US President Donald TrumpRead moreRussian forces hit Black Ammo explosives manufacturer in BorispolLong-range unmanned aerial vehicles struck the Black Ammo LLC industrial enterprise in Borispol, the Kiev Region, which specializes in the production, procurement, and supply of ammunition and explosives to Ukrainian security forces Read moreRussians, Americans need to remember how much they got in common — former US congressmanIt's important for Americans who serve the public, members of Congress, to go to Russia and to meet the people, Dennis Kucinich saidRead moreWitkof says parties to Ukraine conflict need to make compromisesThe US President's special envoy noted that Moscow and Kyiv need to narrow the differences between them in order to achieve a peaceful settlementRead moreWitkoff conveyed gratitude to Putin from Gilman's family for his release in RussiaThe Russian leader noted that thanks should go to US President Donald Trump Read moreRussian air defenses down six Ukrainian drones SaturdayAir defenses intercepted and destroyed six Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over the Belgorod, Kursk, and Rostov regions and the Republic of Crimea Read moreWitkoff, Kushner conclude meeting with Putin, leave the KremlinThe meeting was held in the Red Drawing RoomRead moreOther countries to join US in Strait of Hormuz to ensure safe navigation — officialTrade is important for the world and should not be the responsibility of the United States alone, said Energy Secretary Chris WrightRead moreGerman authorities develop plan to counter drones, cyberattacks — BildAccording to its information, it provides for the expansion of mobile federal police units for combating dronesRead moreAttempts by European states to fuel Ukraine conflict will backfire — former US congressmanDennis Kucinich emphasized that "no amount of European support for the war will change the outcome"Read morePutin called capacity of Dream Island theme park impressiveThe president opened the park's third phase via video link. Now, Dream Island will be able to accommodate almost three times as many visitors — up to 45,000 per dayRead moreRussia is not Germany's enemy — BSW expertThe BSW expert recalled the scandalous words of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung correspondent Michael Martens, who asked what European countries could do to "help kill more Russians."Read moreUkraine’s current generation considers war against everything Russian normal — expertAccording to Dudchak, this generation "has no history - the history that exists in our heads - and no historical memory."Read moreTrilateral meeting between leaders of Russia, US, China possible — Deputy Foreign MinisterThe trilateral format with the participation of the leaders of Russia, China and the United States has not been practiced so far, Sergey Ryabkov stated in an interview with TASSRead moreRussian forces tightening Ukrainian troops’ encirclement in Volchansk — defense sourceAccording to the source, many Ukrainian soldiers have already begun to surrenderRead moreSemeru volcano erupts in Indonesia, ash rising to height of 4.7 kmSemeru is the fourth highest volcano in Indonesia (3,676 m above sea level) and the highest peak on the island of JavaRead moreRepairs to restore external power begin at Zaporozhye Nuclear Power PlantThe plant expects the Ferrosplavnaya power line to return to operation as soon as possibleRead moreNorway says will provide assistance to Russians from Professor Molchanov vessel — ReutersOn September 2, Norwegian authorities seized the Russian research vessel in Svalbard Read moreRussian figure skating pairs sweep podium at 2026 ISU Kinoshita Group Cup tournamentThe judges awarded the Russian pair of Alexandra Boikova and Dmitry Kozlovsky 203.66 points for their performanceRead moreIranian forces strike US warships with ballistic missiles — IRGCAccording to the statement, the damaged US warships were forced to withdraw from the combat areaRead moreAfD winning parliamentary elections in Saxony-AnhaltThis is the best result the Alternative for Germany has ever achieved in a German state in its entire historyRead moreUS working on ‘peace package’ for Ukrainian settlement — KushnerMany people in the United States government, under the President, Vice President, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and many others, are working to try to create it, the American leader's son-in-law notedRead moreWest refuses to admit its mistake, continues to fan flames of war — FicoFurther militarization, increased tensions, and the possibility of a global conflict could be a recipe for political survival for many politicians who are unable to adequately respond to the economic downturn, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico saidRead morePutin says contacts with Witkoff, Kushner beneficialContacts of this kind are always beneficial, Russian President said Read moreWitkoff says settlement talks in Moscow, Kiev were positiveThe American leader's special envoy noted that his work, together with the US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, is to "bring the parties together," narrow the gap in problematic positions, and establish communication channelsRead morePutin’s meeting with US negotiators lasted 3 hours and 10 minutes — Kremlin aideRussian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov noted that it was substantive, constructive, extremely frank and trustingRead moreOPEC+ nations agree to keep production quotas for October at September levelAs follows from the OPEC table, Russia’s quota in October 2026 will stand at 9.949 mln barrels a dayRead moreRussian forces establish foothold on southeastern outskirts of Dobropolye — expertAndrey Marochko says Russian troops are advancing and clearing the settlementRead morePutin’s meeting with Witkoff, Kushner shows atmosphere of trust — Kremlin spokesmanKremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov made this statement in an interview with Pavel Zarubin of Vesti Read moreGermany accusing Russia without evidence in Leipzig UAV incident — expertNo concrete evidence of Russia's responsibility has been presented, military expert and editor-in-chief of the Italian portal Analisi Difesa, Gianandrea Gaiani, told TASSRead morePutin orders three-day suspension of strikes on Kiev starting at midnight — KremlinThe Ukrainian army would observe a ceasefire from midnight on September 5 through September 8Read moreRussian mission to UN responds to General Assembly on claims over Crimea’s statusRussia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Maria Zabolotskaya emphasized that these territories "are part of Russia, and have been part of Russia for centuries"Read moreNew trilateral meeting on Ukraine may be announced soon — WitkoffAccording to US presidential envoy, the US delegation is "dug in on finding the solution" and there are all "the ingredients" to find itRead morePress review: Western plan drives Zelensky’s warning as US, Iran exchange strikes anewTop stories from the Russian press on Thursday, September 3rdRead moreThe Hague deprived Mladic medication after his family refused euthanasia — ambassadorGeneral Ratko Mladic died in a UN prison in The Hague on August 27Read moreThe Putin Diet: Kremlin unveils the head of state’s culinary preferencesThe Russian president enjoys simple dishes but avoids baked goods, according to his press secretaryRead morePutin meets with Witkoff and Kushner in the KremlinThe meeting marks Putin’s eighth face-to-face encounter with Witkoff and Kushner’s third round of talks on a potential settlement to the conflict in Ukraine Read moreVance acknowledges that US has not won any military conflicts in several decadesThe US vice president added that he agrees with with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth "that we needed to have a culture shift at the Department of War"Read moreRosneft to supply 30 million tons of oil from Vostok Oil in 2027Vostok Oil, Rosneft’s flagship project in the Taimyr Peninsula, is being developed on instructions from President Vladimir Putin Read moreRivaldo believes Safonov is closest Russian footballer to winning the Ballon d'OrSafonov became PSG's starting goalkeeper last season, outperforming Luc ChevalierRead moreRussia to employ system of advance pay if Ukraine breaks off gas pay schedule"It is highly probable that in the near future our partners will be unable to start a process of settlement of the debt they owe to Russia," Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev saysRead moreKiev troops bombard Donetsk People’s Republic 13 times over past dayFive residential buildings and several trucks were damagedRead moreInternational Skating Union revokes neutral status of Kamila ValievaValieva was granted neutral status on August 7Read moreUpcoming space summit to be worst Macron-organized event — mediaAccording to Politico, the main issues are that the summit is running behind schedule, has not been coordinated with major players in the European space sector, and lacks a clear purposeRead morePress review: Germany, France and UK boost missile ties as China challenges US in MideastTop stories from the Russian press on Friday, August 4thRead moreMoscow mayor describes Dream Island park as Disneyland’s worthy rivalSobyanin noted that the newly opened outdoor section covers 200,000 square meters and thanked the president for his support of the projectRead moreClosure of consulate in Bonn meant to derail preparations for elections — Russian diplomatAccording to Zakharova, the German authorities have long been hatching plans to close the Russian consulate general and the Russian HouseRead moreRussian forces strike two Ukrainian army’s logistics centers in Odessa RegionAccording to the ministry, Geran-4 Seeker drones have state-of-the-art electronic guidance system that makes it possible for the drone to independently adjust its trajectory before hitting a targetRead moreRussian forces drive Ukrainian army out of Novogrishino in DPR — expertAndrey Marochko added that the settlement has turned into a grey zoneRead morePutin says Ukraine has significantly reduced number of attacks on RussiaRussian President made this statement at a meeting with American negotiators in the Kremlin Read moreLebanese president calls on US, UN to force Israel to stop attacks on NabatiehAccording to Aoun, Israeli attacks have gone beyond routine bombings as they are intended to paralyze the life in the southern regionRead morePutin says no strikes on Kiev have been carried out since midnightRussian President made this statement at a meeting with American negotiators in the Kremlin Read moreFans display Russian flags at figure skating tournament in JapanVladislav Dikidzhi won the men's singles, Yevgeny Semenenko placed thirdRead moreUS negotiators Witkoff, Kushner arrive in MoscowTheir flight landed at 12:52 p.m. Moscow time (9:52 GMT)Read moreTrump's approval rating falls to record low — Financial Times pollAccording to the study, only 33% of respondents supported Trump's current political course, compared to 35% a month earlierRead moreAbout 70 workers of Russian Consulate General, their families must leave Germany — consulThe consulate does not employ foreign nationalsRead moreCrimea colored same as Russia on Equal Earth projectionThe Equal Earth projection, intended to more accurately depict the actual proportions of Africa and other regions of the world, was proposed as an alternative to the Mercator projectionRead moreParent body of Epsilon-Perseid meteor shower has still not been identifiedThe Epsilon-Perseid meteor shower is one of the fastest, but relatively weak, showersRead moreRisk of large-scale conflict, NATO’s ‘confession’: SVR statementsSVR Director Sergey Naryshkin noted that NATO was interested in prolonging the Ukrainian conflict to limit Russia’s potentialRead moreItalian general posts photo with vodka in response to FT’s accusations of ties to MoscowRoberto Vannacci noted that the UK newspaper, like many others representing international financial circles, is attempting to influence the electoral process in ItalyRead moreSpecial US flight crosses Russian border amid expectations of negotiators’ visitAccording to earlier reports, US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner plan to visit Moscow and Kiev on September 5-6Read moreRussia works to restore rights of Russian speakers in Ukraine — LavrovBoth linguistic and religious rights have been grossly violated by Kiev, Russian Foreign Minister said Read moreWitkoff conveys Trump's best wishes to PutinUS Presidential Envoy made this statement at the beginning of his meeting with Putin in the Kremlin Read moreRussia did not agree on broader three-day ceasefire — PutinRussian President noted that Russia had ceased attacks on Kiev for three days starting today, and the Ukrainian side had significantly reduced attacks on Russian territoryRead moreAir defenses down 258 Ukrainian drones over Russia overnight — top brassFrom 8:00 p.m. Moscow time on September 5 to 8:00 a.m. Moscow time on September 6, on-duty air defenses intercepted and destroyed 258 Ukrainian fixed-wing dronesRead moreLatvia, Lithuania consider ending Russian grain transit through ports — agencyAccording to the news agency, the Latvian government will meet on Tuesday to discuss a full Russian ·grain export banRead moreMerz admits that German government lacks supportFriedrich Merz also recalled that the previous German government had been "divided from within and run out of steam so quickly" that a change of power had become necessaryRead moreRussian forces liberate settlement of Kurtovka in Donetsk People’s RepublicAccording to the ministry, service members of Russia’s Battlegroup South have liberated the settlement of Kurtovka as part of offensive operations in the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk areaRead moreWitkoff, Kushner arrive in Ukraine — media outletIt is not specified how long the US representatives will stay in the Ukrainian capitalRead moreAI is merely tool in judge’s hands — Russian Supreme Court’s chiefHe stressed that artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and big data "are powerful tools that we must use to serve this goal, without allowing them to replace it."Read moreUS redirect 92 ships since resumption of naval blockade of Iran — CENTCOMThe United States resumed the naval blockade of Iran on July 14Read moreDry cargo ship carrying military equipment hit in port of ChernomorskA dry cargo ship carrying military equipment to the Ukrainian forces by Western countries was hit in the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa RegionRead moreUS negotiators tell Zelensky they want breakthrough in talks before winter — mediaAccording to the sources, Witkoff and Kushner discussed with Zelensky preparations for continuing the war through the winter Read morePutin opens train station on Moscow Central Diameter 4The Serp i Molot railway platform was built in the mid-1930s and for decades served as one of the main entry points into MoscowRead more