Iranian Commander Says US Ground Invasion Would Lead to Mass Captures

A senior Iranian military commander, Naqdi, said on Tuesday that Iran's armed forces possess the capabilities required to respond to threats, and that their decisions and calculations should be trusted. He emphasized that military operations and their timing are determined by strategic considerations and national interests.

Naqdi dismissed the prospect of a US ground invasion of Iran, stating that even in highly private American meetings, the subject might not have been discussed at all. He said the United States has talked about a ground invasion in its media messaging but has not even discussed it privately or whispered about it among themselves, because, in his view, American officials understand the consequences.

Naqdi questioned why any rational decision-maker would contemplate a ground invasion of Iran after previous experiences. "If they spent $3 trillion or $4 trillion there and their wars lasted 20 years, what would happen here, where the war would not even last 20 days?" he said. He added that US forces would be captured in such large numbers that Washington would be forced to surrender and raise the flag of surrender.

Naqdi reiterated that he did not believe US officials had even held preliminary discussions about a ground invasion, arguing that they know they cannot carry it out. According to Mehr News, Naqdi's remarks underscore Iran's confidence in its defensive capabilities and its assessment that the US is not seriously considering a ground invasion.