Rezaei said that if the United States was genuinely serious about the war, it should send its soldiers into Iran. He questioned why Washington was carrying out attacks from the air before withdrawing instead of deploying its air and ground forces inside the country.
According to Rezaei, the final outcome of a war is decided by soldiers fighting on the ground. His comments came as military tensions between Iran and the United States continued, while diplomatic efforts to end the conflict were also underway. Rezaei’s remarks amounted to a direct challenge to Washington to move beyond air attacks and commit ground forces to Iran.
Iran’s geography would make such an operation highly complex. The country has a large territory and extensive mountainous areas, creating significant challenges for any foreign military seeking to deploy large numbers of troops and maintain control over territory for an extended period. Against that backdrop, the US campaign against Iran has relied heavily on air attacks and strikes carried out from a distance.
Rezaei has previously claimed that the US strategy was changing and that Iran feared a possible ground operation in the future. In August, he said the United States may have targeted infrastructure and military bases as part of preparations for a potential ground campaign against Iran.
A large-scale deployment of US troops into Iran would take the war into a different phase. Air strikes can target military installations and other objectives from a distance, while a ground operation would require troops to enter hostile territory, advance through it, secure areas under their control and maintain long-term logistical support.
Iran’s mountainous geography could further increase those challenges. Rezaei’s remarks therefore also seek to question the effectiveness of relying on air strikes alone to create decisive pressure on Iran.
Rezaei has also claimed that Iran has changed its military strategy against the United States and is now better prepared to respond to American air attacks. He warned that if the United States launches another attack, Iran could intensify retaliatory strikes against US military bases and American interests in the region.
A Reuters report on September 20 also said Iran’s military leadership had warned of retaliation against US bases and regional interests belonging to the United States and its allies if another attack took place.
At the same time, Tehran has kept the door open to negotiations. On September 19, Rezaei said Iran had conveyed its conditions for ending the war to the United States through Qatar and was waiting for a response from US President Donald Trump.
Iran’s stated conditions include ending the war on all fronts, releasing frozen Iranian funds and ending the US naval blockade. Qatar and Pakistan are both involved in efforts to restart negotiations between the two sides.
Rezaei has said that if Iran’s conditions are not accepted, the country is prepared for a decisive war. He has also indicated that Iranian retaliation may not be limited to US military bases, with American interests and companies in the region also facing warnings.
The Strait of Hormuz remains another major source of concern. The waterway is critical to global oil and energy trade, and any prolonged disruption could affect oil prices and maritime commerce. Iran has previously warned that US interests and energy infrastructure in the region could be targeted in response to American attacks. Reuters has reported that the conflict has severely disrupted energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, while diplomatic efforts continue alongside the military escalation.
The latest statements from Tehran therefore combine two parallel messages: a warning that Iran is preparing for further military confrontation and an indication that negotiations remain possible if its conditions are addressed
About The Author
Comment List