Basij chief says US miscalculated Iran's wartime resilience

Hossein Taeb, the head of Iran's Basij force, said the United States and Israel miscalculated Iran's ability to sustain a war, speaking at a meeting in Tehran on Sunday. According to Mehr News, Taeb said Washington and Tel Aviv had expected Iran to capitulate within days or weeks, but the Iranian nation and Armed Forces stood firm.

"They thought that if they could not achieve their objectives in three days, Iran's resilience in the war would last no more than six weeks," Taeb said. He said the US and Israel had expected Iran to run short of ammunition and missiles, face economic disruption and experience domestic security pressures, forcing it to negotiate from a position of weakness. "Those assessments proved wrong," Taeb said, adding that the United States and Israel had also faced limitations in ammunition supplies and air defence capabilities, including dwindling stocks of THAAD interceptor missiles.

Taeb said Iran's missile operations had become increasingly effective as the war progressed, with a growing proportion of missiles reaching their intended targets in Israeli-occupied territories. He added that the United States and Israel had sought a ceasefire through European and regional intermediaries, expecting Iran to make concessions in subsequent negotiations. According to Taeb, Washington and Tel Aviv were then forced to shift their strategy from direct, full-scale warfare toward proxy forces, regional and international alliances and economic pressure after Iran gained full control over the Strait of Hormuz. He described the conflict as a contest of endurance, stressing that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had also imposed significant costs on the US and global economies.

Citing polls, Taeb said more than 70% of Americans believed the war with Iran had brought their country no meaningful benefits while imposing heavy costs. He also pointed to rising diesel prices and transportation costs as factors increasing the economic burden on American households, adding that European countries were beginning to experience the consequences as well. Taeb called on Iranians to support the Armed Forces and strengthen the country's deterrence capabilities, warning that any renewed aggression would be met with an unpredictable response. The report by Mehr News added that the remarks were carried by the agency's IRN desk.