Iran’s army says response to any US attack will be ‘decisive, swift’

TEHRAN, Iran

The Iranian army has warned that any attack on the country will be met with a “decisive and swift response,” as tensions between Tehran and Washington escalate sharply.

Speaking to the state broadcaster on Thursday, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia, spokesperson for the army, warned that if the “enemy” makes a “foolish move and miscalculates again,” it will be met with a response “in real time and without delay.”

His remarks came amid rising regional tensions following the deployment of a US military fleet near the Persian Gulf and warnings by US President Donald Trump of a potential strike.

Akraminia said US policies in the region have followed a “clear pattern” over decades, noting that Washington has pursued “sanctions, cultural aggression, and maximum pressure against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” which he described as a form of “hybrid warfare.”

Referring to the 12-day war with Israel in June last year, the army spokesperson said the US had made an “incorrect assessment of Iran’s capabilities.”

“However, the world witnessed that we immediately responded to the Zionist regime’s military attack. Not only did chaos and unrest fail to materialize, but national unity and cohesion became stronger than before, and the Americans received their response well,” he said.

Akraminia stressed that in the event of another attack on Iran, the armed forces would “respond immediately and in real time,” noting that the June war demonstrated that “giving the enemy time is absolutely unacceptable.”

“The enemy must be responded to instantly. This has been communicated to the armed forces through formal directives so that any act of aggression is met without delay,” he said.

On mechanisms for responding to a potential attack, he said necessary plans have been drawn up and required orders have been issued, stressing that Iran will have “appropriate and proportionate responses for different scenarios.”

Akraminia said no precise prediction can be made about “Trump’s America,” describing the US president as a “narcissistic and delusional individual” who frequently changes his statements.

“We are certainly prepared for war scenarios, and our duty is to ensure security and enhance deterrence. However, it is not possible to predict exactly what will happen,” he said.

- Gunboat diplomacy

He added that the US is employing a “gunboat diplomacy” strategy reminiscent of the 18th and 19th centuries, seeking to extract concessions from targeted countries, similar to Britain’s practices during that era.

“The US is trying to extract concessions from us, and these demands have no stopping point. They seek zero enrichment and restrictions on our missile capabilities,” the spokesperson said.

Acknowledging that a US military attack is possible, Akraminia warned that Iran’s response “may not be desirable for the US.”

He said American bases in the region could be targeted with semi-heavy weapons, drones, and missiles, warning that the scope of any conflict would be broad and that the entire region would fall within range of Iranian missiles and drones.

Akraminia added that Iran’s “level of readiness” is now “much higher than before,” with experiences from last year's war being actively applied.

He said damaged air defense systems have been restored or replaced, new systems deployed to strengthen defensive capabilities, and new measures implemented in the air force, and that the ground, naval, and air forces are now at a “high level of readiness.”

The spokesperson noted that one of the key lessons of the 12-day war was the “need to strengthen deterrence while preserving national cohesion,” while also stressing the importance of confronting “enemies” in other domains of warfare, including “cognitive warfare.”

Regarding the presence of the US fleet in West Asia, Akraminia said warships are an important element of modern warfare, but military power is not limited to US naval groups.

“These aircraft carriers are vulnerable to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s missile and hypersonic missile capabilities,” he said.