Speaking in a ceremony at Imam Ali Officers’ University in Tehran on Thursday, Major General Hatami said that the enemy’s miscalculation was the reason for the outbreak of the war, noting that it had assumed Iran was in a weak position and underestimated the capabilities of the country’s Armed Forces.
He added that the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) responded with full force, launching hundreds of strikes against the enemy from the earliest hours of the imposed war.
Highlighting Iran’s geopolitical leverage, particularly its control over the Strait of Hormuz, Hatami said the strait was closed immediately after the war began and would remain closed until the enemy respected the rights of the Iranian people.
The Army chief stressed that the enemy had failed to achieve any of its military or strategic objectives.
Rejecting the US president’s claims that Iran’s military capabilities have weakened, Hatami said the continued launches of missiles and drones, along with the operation of Iran’s air defenses, demonstrated the strength of the country’s Armed Forces.
He added that the IRGC Navy controls the western part of the Strait of Hormuz, while the Iranian Army’s naval forces oversee its eastern section and the Sea of Oman.
Hatami noted that Iran had taken firm action against vessels violating its regulations, leaving maritime traffic through the strait severely limited.
The Army chief said the enemy’s strategic position had deteriorated, while the Islamic Republic had emerged stronger and continued to defend Iran’s territorial integrity.
Hatami added that the Armed Forces had used the pause in hostilities to repair damage and enhance their readiness, both quantitatively and qualitatively.
He noted that many enemy bases and military assets had been damaged and its forces were exhausted, while its military supplies were now being delivered from distances of more than 2,500 kilometers.
Major General Hatami warned that any threat to Iran’s infrastructure would trigger a response inflicting several times greater damage on the infrastructure and interests of the enemy, the Israeli regime and its collaborators.
He also said the Army and the IRGC’s ground, naval, air defense, and missile forces remained fully equipped and ready along Iran’s borders.
