Iran

Rear Admiral Mohsen Razzaqi, commander of Iran’s Northern Fleet and the Fourth Naval Zone of Imam Reza (AS), said coordination among the country’s armed forces is at its highest level, underscoring naval units' readiness to defend maritime borders around the clock. Speaking at a ceremony in the northern coastal city of Astara on Saturday, Razzaqi described human resources as the Army Navy’s most important asset. He said that naval forces, including missile and drone units as well as commandos, maintain a continuous presence to safeguard the country’s waters.

“The cost of any aggression against Iran must be raised to such an extent that the enemy will no longer dare attack the country again,” he said, according to the IRNA news agency. He added that the armed forces’ strategy goes beyond merely ending hostilities and aims to impose prohibitive costs on any aggressor. Razzaqi pointed to Iran’s missile, drone and naval capabilities, its strategic geographical position and the steadfastness of its people as central elements of the country’s deterrence.

His remarks form part of a series of statements by Iranian officials and commanders signaling full preparedness to respond to any renewed act of aggression. Earlier, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei posted on X: “Start a war, and you’ll face a devastating response.” In late October, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei ordered “maximum deterrence,” instructing commanders to deliver an immediate and effective response without geographical restriction should the country come under attack again.

The directive called for intelligent combat readiness to confront threats decisively and for the continuous updating of target banks. Iranian naval forces, operating in close synergy with other branches of the armed forces, have repeatedly demonstrated their capacity to monitor extra-regional movements and protect national interests across both the Caspian Sea and southern waters. Officials have consistently stated that any miscalculation by adversaries will be met with a firm and proportionate reply designed to prevent recurrence.