Iran Army spokesman says military doctrine has shifted toward an offensive approach

Army Spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia said Iran's military doctrine has moved toward an offensive approach, stating that the concepts of "impactful response" and "without geographical limitations" have been operationally defined and are being turned into executive and actionable strategies. He said implementation of recent directives issued by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, is being pursued seriously, and that this requires a shift toward an offensive doctrine, the acquisition of appropriate weaponry and a transformation in combat methods.

Akraminia said the previous military doctrine was based on a defensive posture and a retaliatory or punitive deterrence. Under that framework, he said, the objective was to repel the enemy's first strike, followed by a second strike proportional to the enemy's action, carried out within the regional geographical scope and targeting US bases in the region. He referred to the response of the Armed Forces at the outset of war and said "effectiveness" and "absence of geographical limitations" are among the new elements emphasized in the Leader's directives, which now serve as the basis for the actions of the Armed Forces.

On the political situation, Akraminia assessed the position of what he described as the American-Zionist enemy as unfavorable. He said that from a political analysis perspective these developments might reduce the likelihood of war, but that the program to enhance the combat and defensive capabilities of the Armed Forces continues uninterrupted and independent of these developments, because the Army's actions are fundamentally guided by the execution of missions and directives set forth by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the Army spokesman said that following the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, the Americans attempted to establish what he called a spurious and fake route south of the strait and sought to encourage and compel shipping companies and vessel owners to use it. Akraminia attributed insecurity in the region to US interference, stating that vessels forced by the US to enter unsafe routes encounter naval mines and sustain damage, a situation that also harms shipping and transport companies. He said shipowners and commercial shipping companies may transit through designated secure routes in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which he said guarantee the security of these routes.

According to Mehr News, the remarks were reported by the agency's correspondent and carry the reference MNA/7005334.