Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran: We May Adopt an Aggressive Approach

The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran announced the possibility of adopting an aggressive approach by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic. Mohammad Bagheri made these remarks on Sunday, February 26, during a meeting coinciding with rising verbal tensions between Tehran and Washington over the JCPOA, criticism of Iran's missile and regional activities, and Israeli attacks on Iranian positions in Syria. This senior military commander of Iran stated that Tehran has 'no intention of aggression or even coveting the territory of any country,' but added that 'this does not mean that we will act solely defensively and passively in operational and tactical approaches.' He further noted that 'in preserving our interests, we may adopt an offensive approach.' He explained that this potential approach is to ensure that 'foreigners, upon seeing the effects and evidence of it, will dismiss any thoughts of aggression against our country's interests.' According to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran, 'changes have been made in the nature of the military exercises conducted this year in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and on land and in the air, and this path is on the rise.' He did not provide further details but stated that the aim of these changes is the 'readiness of the armed forces' for 'changing tactics' if 'necessary.' These remarks come as the Iranian Army's ground forces conducted an exercise on Friday in the 'Nasrabad' region of Isfahan with the participation of '12,000 offensive forces.' Previously, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic had asked the commanders of the Navy to increase their 'capabilities and readiness' to ensure that 'enemies do not dare to threaten the Iranian nation.' He also warned the Iranian people during a meeting with families of those affected by the eight-year Iran-Iraq war and the Syrian civil war to be wary of 'deceptions' from the United States this year, adding that they may have 'plans for the year 1398 (2019 in the Gregorian calendar). Everyone should be alert.' The United States withdrew from the nuclear agreement with Iran on May 8 this year, stating that the agreement ignored Iran's missile threats and its 'destructive' role in the Middle East. European countries, which have adopted a different policy regarding the preservation of the JCPOA from the Trump administration, have taken a similar stance regarding Iran's ballistic missile program and Tehran's role in the region, calling for an end to these activities. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, warned Iran on January 25 that if talks over Tehran's ballistic missile program yield no results, Paris is prepared to impose new sanctions on Tehran. Bahram Qasemi, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, responded to these remarks on Sunday, stating that the Islamic Republic's missile program 'is not open to discussion or negotiation.' Informed sources in the European Union told Radio Farda that on February 27, following the official registration of the EU's 'special mechanism' for trade with Iran, the 'summary' of the European Council regarding issues related to Iran is likely to be approved. In this 'summary,' the European Council calls on Iran to refrain from 'launching ballistic missiles' that are 'inconsistent' with UN Security Council Resolution 2231.