‘Today we are at a high level of defensive and military preparedness,’ says Iran’s army chief
ISTANBUL — Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned on Saturday that Tehran’s retaliation to any attack on Iran would not be limited in scope, but also include “attacks on the depth of the Israeli regime,” state media reported.
“Any move indicating hostile intent by the enemy will be met with a proportional, effective, and deterrent response,” Shamkhani said, according to state-run news agency IRNA.
Iran “has uncovered the enemy’s operational plan and has full intelligence dominance over it,” he added.
“At the appropriate time, we will strike points that will choke this plan at its inception,” he said, adding that if necessary, Iran would resort to “more effective and efficient options” to defend its national security and territorial integrity.
Shamkhani noted that such a response would not be limited in scope, saying it would include “attacks on the depth of the Israeli regime.”
Separately, speaking at a military event, Iran’s army chief Amir Hatami said: “Today we are at a high level of defensive and military preparedness, and we are monitoring the enemy’s movements,” according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
“Because we are aware of their malicious intentions, our hand is on the trigger.”
“Without a doubt, we are the most peace-seeking system governing the region,” he said.
Hatami added that Iran’s defense capabilities have not weakened despite years of sanctions, saying they have instead become fully domestic and resilient.
He said Iran’s forces gained firsthand knowledge of both their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their adversaries. “We confronted the enemy’s science, technology, and hybrid warfare,” he said. “Today, we are prepared in a different way.”
He also compared Iran’s experience to other conflicts, saying even countries engaged in prolonged wars lack similar operational exposure. “Even Russia, which has been engaged with NATO countries for more than three years, does not have the 12-day experience that we have,” Hatami said.
The remarks come as tensions have escalated between Tehran and Washington in recent weeks, following US President Donald Trump’s statements that a “massive armada” was moving toward Iran, alongside his call for Tehran to “come to the table” for negotiations.
Iranian officials have warned that any US attack would draw a “swift and comprehensive” response, while reiterating that Tehran remains open to talks only under what it describes as “fair, balanced, and noncoercive terms.” — Anadolu Agency
