Senior military leader vows strengthened defenses amid heightened tensions with Washington.

On Thursday, Maj. Gen. Mohamad Pakpur, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), issued a warning to the United States and Israel, stating that any new aggression would be met with a “more painful and regrettable” response.

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“We warn hostile enemies, particularly the United States and the fake racist Zionist regime, to avoid any miscalculation by learning from historical experiences and the lessons of the imposed 12-day war,” he said in an official statement.

The senior military commander emphasized that the IRGC and other Iranian armed forces would “fortify the country’s defenses more than ever” and “keep their fingers on the trigger” to respond to any external military adventurism.

The warning comes amid escalating tensions with Washington following statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened military intervention against Iran.

Iranian officials have described recent unrest as part of a U.S.- and Israeli-coordinated campaign to destabilize the country, following the failure of a 12-day war launched against Iran in June 2025.

Although the latest destabilization attempt failed, the externally fueled violent actions resulted in 2,427 casualties, including members of Iranian security forces and civilians.

Pakpur thanked IRGC members for their commitment to “defending the ideals, achievements and values of the Revolution and the Islamic System, and national sovereignty.”

He paid tribute to prominent fallen commanders, including Gens. Hosein Salami, Qolamali Rashid, Mohamad Baqeri, Ali Shademani and Amirali Hayizade. Pakpur also recalled Commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. attack in Iraq in January 2020.

Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that his country would not hesitate to use its full defensive capability if attacked and highlighted the imminent risk of a definitive collapse of diplomatic efforts while the population recovers.

Despite declaring the armed forces’ offensive capability in response to aggression, Iran is pursuing a diplomatic solution aimed at avoiding a potentially catastrophic outcome.

teleSUR/ JF

Sources: HipanTV – EFE

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