Seven months into the war, Tehran signals readiness for a “prolonged” conflict as a tense stalemate holds
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned on Monday that it would hit new targets with new weapons if the United States launches further attacks on the country.
“There will certainly be significant changes in our defence and our counteroffensive,” an IRGC spokesman said in a statement. “We will introduce new weapons with new capabilities into the battlefield, and the world will be surprised.” He added that Iran’s targets “will not necessarily be the same as before,” saying the country has “new targets that have not yet been attacked.” The Guards also said they were prepared for a “prolonged war.”
The warning follows a claim on Saturday by Iran’s military central command, reported by state television, that Washington was planning fresh action against Tehran. No details were given.
Almost seven months after the war began, Tehran and Washington remain locked in a stalemate, though neither side appears eager to return to full-scale fighting. Hostilities have eased in recent days after a flare-up at the end of last month. Iran continues to carry out sporadic attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, where both sides maintain rival blockades to pressure the other.
The conflict has also spread beyond the two main combatants. In Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthis have seized more territory from the Saudi-backed government and launched attacks on Saudi targets, including the capital, Riyadh.
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