Iran

Iran’s Armed Forces are moving toward an offensive military doctrine that will involve new combat methods, appropriate weaponry, and the ability to respond to threats without geographical restrictions, Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia says. Speaking about changes in the country’s military doctrine on Monday, Akraminia said the implementation of the latest directives issued by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution is being pursued seriously, adding that the shift toward an “offensive” doctrine has become necessary.

He explained that Iran’s previous military doctrine was based on a defensive posture and compensatory or punitive deterrence, under which the Armed Forces sought to repel an initial enemy attack before delivering a proportionate second strike within the region and against US military bases in the area. However, he said the new directives emphasized three key principles: “urgency in responding,” “effectiveness,” and “the absence of geographical restrictions.”

“These are new points in the latest directives that, as orders from the Commander-in-Chief, have become the basis for the Armed Forces’ actions,” the spokesman said. Akraminia added that these principles had been operationally defined and were being translated into practical strategies that would shape the Army’s future doctrine. On October 31, Leader of the Islamic Revolution and Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s Armed Forces Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei ordered senior military commanders to ensure that any level or type of enemy threat is met with an “immediate, impactful, and geographically unrestricted response.”

During a meeting with senior commanders of the Armed Forces, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that should Iran’s enemies resume military or terrorist attacks, “it will be the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation that will determine when and under what conditions those attacks will end.” Addressing Iran’s deterrence policy, Akraminia said the country could not trust or disregard its enemies, arguing that they would resort to hostile actions whenever they have the opportunity.

Their failure to act could result either from Iran’s military preparedness or from their own domestic problems and developments, he added. He also attributed regional insecurity to US interference, saying ships that enter unsafe routes under American pressure encounter naval mines and sustain damage, with consequences for shipping and transportation companies. Akraminia said commercial shipowners and shipping companies could coordinate with Iran’s Armed Forces to use designated secure routes, stressing that the military would guarantee their security.

The remarks come amid heightened US military activity in West Asia and increasingly hostile rhetoric by American officials against the Islamic Republic. Tehran has repeatedly warned that US bases and naval assets across the region will be targeted in response to any renewed aggression against Iranian territory.