Iran Ready for Prolonged Conflict, Says Security Chief Amid Escalating Tensions

Iran’s top security official has declared that the country is fully prepared for a long-term conflict, asserting that Tehran did not initiate the current war but stands ready to defend itself against ongoing attacks.

Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said on Monday that Iran has strategically prepared for sustained confrontation, contrasting its readiness with that of the United States.

“Iran, unlike the United States, has prepared itself for a long war,” Larijani wrote in a post on social media platform X.

Drawing on historical context, Larijani insisted that Iran had not launched any offensive operations. “As in the past 300 years, Iran did not start this war. Our brave armed forces have not engaged in a single offensive operation, acting solely in self-defense,” he stated.

The senior official pledged that Iran would “fiercely defend itself and its six-thousand-year-old civilization regardless of the costs,” warning that its adversaries would “regret their miscalculation.”

His remarks come after a fresh wave of aerial attacks reportedly carried out by the United States and Israel on Saturday, signaling a significant escalation in hostilities just months after earlier strikes on the Islamic Republic.

According to Iranian sources, the first round of attacks targeted key figures and facilities, further intensifying tensions at a time when Tehran had been engaged in diplomatic discussions with Washington over its nuclear program.

In response, Iran launched coordinated retaliatory strikes involving missiles and drones aimed at Israeli-controlled areas and US military installations across the region.

The rapidly evolving situation has heightened concerns of a broader regional war, as both sides exchange accusations and military actions. International observers have urged restraint to prevent further escalation in an already volatile Middle East.