Iranupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 20 March 2017Khamenei Orders Iran’s Armed Forces Ready for Immediate Unbounded Response to U.S. and Israeli Assets
4 West Asian1 AsianPhoto: Khamenei.ir, CC BY 4.0 · Cropped for layout
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Khamenei ordered armed forces to be ready for an immediate, unbounded response to any threat. Response will not be limited by geography, addressing threats anywhere.
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5 outlets told this the same way.
Khamenei sets the tone
Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the armed forces to be ready for an immediate, effective, and unbounded response to any level or form of threat from the adversary, and he directed an update to the military target list to include American and Israeli assets within the strike range of Iranian forces. Fada Hossein Maleki, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said Iran's strategy for confronting threats is not limited to geography and that any threat against the country will face an immediate and decisive response. Maleki said the Leader's recent remarks to senior armed forces commanders signaled a clear military strategy against any plot or threat, with the emphasis on a response without geographic limits.
Maleki said part of the remarks could be read as a warning to regional countries that, in the event of another war, Iran's response will not necessarily follow the same method or be confined to the same limited, specific targets. Maleki argued that the United States is trying to expand its bases and military centers and move them farther from Iran's reach, but that such measures cannot prevent an Iranian retaliation.
Defense minister promises
Iranian Defense Minister Mehrdad Akhlaghi stated that Iran is committed to implementing the directives of Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and that the armed forces will respond immediately to any threat or aggression without geographic limits. Shafaq News said Akhlaghi stressed that Iran is pursuing the development of its smart combat readiness and implementing a strategy that enables an instant response anywhere, adding that threats will not surprise Iran or deter it. Shafaq News quoted Akhlaghi saying that any aggression against Iran will be met with a decisive, proportional, and effective response, and that threats will not determine the scope, timing, or consequences of Iran’s defensive response.
Baghdad Today also reported that Akhlaqi confirmed Iran’s commitment to Khamenei’s directives, and it said the defense minister warned of an immediate response without geographic constraints. Baghdad Today said Akhlaqi described Iran’s approach as allowing an instant response anywhere, while emphasizing that threats will not surprise or deter Iran and will not be stoppable.
Targets, timing, and reach
Khamenei ordered an update to the military target list to include American and Israeli assets within the strike range of Iranian forces. Khamenei said if the enemy resumes military or terrorist attacks, the Iranian armed forces and the people will decide when and under what conditions those attacks will end. Maleki said the Leader's emphasis on a response without geographic limits signals a broader framework for confronting potential threats.
Maleki stressed that Iran's response will not be limited to a specific geographic area, and that from wherever in the world a threat to Iran emerges, the country will respond quickly and decisively. Maleki said that in the event of war, Iran will enter the field with a new outlook and scenario that will surprise the US and European countries.