New Delhi: There are escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. If Iran fails to reach a settlement, it will be subjected to airstrikes in this hybrid case, akin to that of U.S. President Donald Trump. Iran, however, shows no signs of backing down. Ali Larijani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, responded with a striking threat of his own, asserting that an attack by the U.S. or its allies would prompt Iran to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran is emboldened by its belief that Russia and China will support it in a U.S. conflict. These powers — international superpowers — bulwark Iran’s standing against U.S. pressure and give it the option of striking back both diplomatically and militarily. One of its main assets is how self-sufficient Iran is when it comes to military hardware, especially its advanced missile technology. General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a top commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), cautioned that the United States is home to 10 military bases in the region that house 50,000 troops. He made it clear that any aggression would face a fierce counter, implying that the U.S. itself faces security vulnerabilities. In a metaphorical dig, he warned that those with “glass houses” should not cast stones.
Iran is not confining its defiance to statements. It has also formally warned the U.S. through the United Nations. In a letter to the Security Council, Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeed Iravani, described American threats as irresponsible. The letter stressed that Iran would respond quickly and firmly if the U.S. or its ally Israel acted hostiley. That position fits into Iran’s larger play: using its missile power to give the impression that it could lean toward nuclear weapons if pressed hard enough, keeping the United States on edge.
Iran’s military leaders had already been planning the strikes on Iranian bases, according to a report in the British newspaper The Telegraph. The report specifically mentions the Diego Garcia island base, which the U.S. and Britain share. An assault on this vital post would be a major blow to American forces. Having demonstrated missile capabilities already widely known and a readiness to escalate, Iran is in preparation mode, but for direct confrontation, not for lifting U.S. sanctions.
Comments are closed.