IRGC Commander Says Iran Ready for Rapid Offensive Operations

Brigadier General Hassan Hassanzadeh, speaking at an exercise of special operations teams of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Mohammad Rasulullah Division, stated that Iran has moved beyond defensive and air defense confrontation and now stands on the threshold of offensive operations. He honored the martyrs of the 12-day war, the Ramadan war, the Battle of Hormuz, and the 27th Division. "We have passed the stage of defensive and air defence confrontation, and today we stand on the threshold of offensive operations, a turning point whose effects the enemies will soon understand," he said.

Hassanzadeh claimed that the same enemies who had predicted the Islamic Republic's collapse at the start of the 12-day war are now confined to a limited area in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, under the watch of IRGC and army naval and aerospace forces. He emphasized that victory is not achieved through equipment and technology alone. "Firm faith, heartfelt belief in divine victory, and following the school of martyrs such as Hemmat, Motevasselian, Tangsiri, Bagheri, Mehrabi, Hajizadeh, Pakpour and Salami determine the fate of wars. Today, by God's grace, in missile, drone and naval technology, we have reached a point where we have thwarted the enemy in achieving its goals," he stated.

The commander announced the organization of offensive teams, units, and divisions for special and lightning operations. "Today we are ready to be present at any point in the country with high speed and to destroy the enemy in any situation. This offensive approach sends a clear message to the enemies," he said. He also referred to the massive "Janfada-ye Iran" exercise involving 313,000 participants, noting that registration at mosques, squares, offices, and neighborhoods had been unprecedented. On 27 Shahrivar (September 18), he said, the world would witness the organized and powerful presence of the Iranian people, who through resistance and resilience have brought the enemy to its knees.

Hassanzadeh criticized the United States, referring to "criminal Trump" and "cursed Netanyahu," saying they cannot answer their own publics and elites. "They claimed to have destroyed our armed forces, but today the armed forces of the Islamic Republic stand stronger than ever. They wanted to seize the Strait of Hormuz, but today it is the will of the Iranian nation that manages this vital energy artery." He added that the world now recognizes Islamic Iran as the Axis of Resistance and one of four powers determining global equations. "The Strait of Hormuz, the popular forces and the full readiness of our fighters are part of our components of power, and on 27 Shahrivar the world will witness a manifestation of this greatness." According to Mehr News, the statements were made during the IRGC exercise.