Tehran: Iran may be prepared to keep its confrontation with the United States going for years if necessary, with a senior adviser to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps suggesting that Tehran could seek to prolong the conflict until the end of US President Donald Trump’s current term.
Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a senior adviser to the IRGC commander, made the remarks during an interview with PBS NewsHour on Tuesday. His comments came amid reports that Washington is weighing an end to hostilities if Iran agrees to reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Naqdi argued that a prolonged conflict could allow Iran to build what he described as stronger deterrence against any future military action.
Iran claims US objectives have failed
According to Naqdi, the United States entered the confrontation with two principal goals — changing Iran’s leadership and weakening the country’s territorial unity. He claimed neither objective had been achieved and portrayed the course of the conflict as favourable to Tehran.
The Iranian general said a longer confrontation would give Iran additional military experience while exposing what he described as weaknesses in US military planning.
He suggested that extending the conflict until the next US presidential term could impose enough costs on Washington to discourage another administration from considering an attack on Iran.
Hormuz remains a major flashpoint
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the most sensitive issues in the confrontation because of its importance to global energy shipments.
Asked about attacks involving civilian vessels travelling through the waterway, Naqdi referred to international law and argued that Iran could restrict access to routes it considers a security threat during wartime.
His comments come as any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz continues to carry potential consequences for international shipping and energy markets.
Tehran claims missile and drone capacity remains strong
Naqdi also sought to project confidence in Iran’s military capabilities, saying the country possesses substantial stocks of missiles and drones and continues to produce them at a rate he claimed exceeds battlefield consumption.
He was also asked about the possibility of the United States using a nuclear weapon against Iran. Naqdi said he did not believe the international community would permit such a scenario, while contrasting the present geopolitical environment with the circumstances surrounding the Second World War.
‘Death to America’ aimed at leadership, Naqdi says
The IRGC adviser also attempted to distinguish between Iran’s political opposition to Washington and hostility towards the American public.
He said Iran did not consider ordinary Americans its enemy and argued that the country’s long-standing slogan of “Death to America” is directed at US leadership rather than its people.
Naqdi further rejected the idea that Iran’s ambitions required nuclear weapons, saying Tehran’s strength, in his view, comes from popular support and its ideological opposition to what it considers oppression.
His remarks underline the deep gap between Tehran and Washington as both sides continue to signal competing objectives, while the possibility of further escalation remains a major concern across the region.
