The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces’ Final Ultimatum on Iran’s Enemies

TEHRAN (Defapress) - The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have had a busy period in recent months, primarily due to the unveiling of defense equipment, military exercises, and increased combat readiness against enemies.

The United States and the Zionist regime have repeatedly threatened Iran with military attacks in recent months, though much of this threat resembles empty bragging that the other side puts it.

However, to enhance defensive preparedness and adhere to the principle of deterring potential threats, the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have maintained their strength at a significant level through consecutive military drills. This increase in combat readiness is directly linked to the military threats posed by enemies.

Some U.S. officials have made threatening statements, declaring that either Iran will dismantle its facilities quietly, or they will do so brutally. These remarks come as the U.S., after nearly two months of war in Yemen, failed to subdue the Ansarullah movement, and Yemeni sharp blades pierced through American warships.

In response to these threats, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a stern warning to U.S. leaders during an inspection of military units in the south. The warning advised enemies not to miscalculate, as the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic possess extensive capabilities to seize the initiative on the battlefield.

The first message from the Chief of Staff is that in the event of a mistake by the U.S. military, American military bases in the West Asia region will become targets of attacks. These bases are within range of Iran’s ballistic missiles, and such an outcome would be extremely costly for CENTCOM. Some U.S. military bases in the region, such as the Al-Udeid Air Base near Doha, Qatar, built at a cost of billions of dollars, would be struck by the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missiles.

The Aerospace Division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as a major unit under the General Staff of the Armed Forces, has enhanced its missile and drone capabilities. This demonstrates that extensive preparations have been made to counter the enemy, a point repeatedly emphasized by the IRGC Commander-in-Chief in various forms over the past week.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is a peace-seeking nation. A look at events following the victory of the Islamic Revolution shows that Iran has never attacked any country in the West Asia region. Yet, Iran’s Armed Forces possess extraordinary offensive capabilities, as demonstrated in last year’s military exercises, including Zulfiqar -1403 and Great Prophet -19.

The second message, a sharp response from the Chief of Staff to U.S. rhetoric, is the possibility of serious disruptions to the movement of warships, including oil tankers, in the region due to an unexpected war. If the U.S. takes action against Iran’s infrastructure, it will face a lethal response from the Islamic Republic’s Army and the IRGC. This would lead to a sharp rise in global oil prices and an uncontrolled surge in gasoline prices in the U.S.

Furthermore, oil prices, currently averaging two and a half dollars per gallon, could rise to five to eight dollars per gallon. This economic shock would trigger widespread discontent in the United States. Thus, it appears that U.S. military threats are more of a bluff for posturing rather than a genuine threat of military attack. On the other hand, U.S. strategic bombers have also left the Diego Garcia base, the very base that the United States had mythologized through media propaganda. When all these events are pieced together like a puzzle, it becomes evident that the likelihood of even a limited U.S. military attack is extremely slim.

The third message from Major General Mohammad Bagheri is directed at Iran’s regional friends, enemies, and rivals: Should any country in the region provide its territory, equipment, or facilities for a military attack, even a limited one, against Iran, it will face the Islamic Republic’s devastating response. A clear example of this was seen in the missile strike on Ain al-Asad Air Base during the Martyr Soleimani missile operation 6 years ago. Naturally, this response would be confined to U.S. weapons, equipment, and military bases within that country; a message that the Persian Gulf littoral states have well understood, as evidenced by their diplomatic maneuvers.

Another critical message from the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran is addressed to the Zionist regime. After committing two strategic blunders, the Zionist regime suffered two devastating blows in Operations "True Promise 1 & 2," which were equivalent to hundreds of missiles and drones striking the occupied territories. However, this time, should the Zionist regime make another mistake, as both the Chief of Staff and the IRGC Commander have warned, a catastrophic situation will unfold in the occupied territories, leading to the regime’s internal collapse. The IRGC Commander had cautioned: "We will ensure you completely forget Operations 'True Promise 1 & 2.'" This means the intensity of missile fire and the number of missiles launched will be beyond imagination.

In this context, a key question arises: How many ballistic missiles can Iran fire in such a battle? The number could range from a thousand to several thousand, capable of annihilating all of the Zionists’ military, economic, and technical infrastructure in a single strike. The "Qassem Basir" missile is also part of this equation. The reality is that the Zionists will only comprehend the full extent of the lethal power wielded by the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran if they commit yet another foolish miscalculation.