Tehran has reaffirmed its hardline stance following nearly six months of conflict with the United States. Mohsen Rezaei, the newly appointed secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Washington ceases its military operations and blockade, releases frozen Iranian assets, and commits to a comprehensive regional ceasefire covering both Lebanon and Gaza.
Rezaei, a former wartime commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), emphasized that these conditions are non-negotiable. His position aligns with the directives of his predecessor, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, and reflects the current Iranian administration’s resolve to continue opposing US and Israeli military actions.
During his inaugural meeting as security chief with China’s ambassador to Tehran, Cong Peiwu, Rezaei advocated for stronger bilateral ties. He praised Beijing’s refusal to support US-led UN resolutions against Iran and clarified that any potential maritime agreement with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz is a separate matter from negotiations with Washington.
Despite reports last week that a deal with Oman was finalized, such an arrangement remains stalled. Military activity persists across the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. On Sunday, a merchant vessel was reportedly struck by a projectile near the Omani coast, coinciding with the announcement of Rezaei’s new role.
Maritime tensions escalated further on Tuesday when Houthi forces in Yemen launched a significant attack on an Egyptian-owned ship in the Red Sea. According to the internationally recognized Yemeni government, the strike resulted in six fatalities. Meanwhile, the US military reported that a Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at a Panama-flagged vessel on Tuesday to enforce its ongoing blockade of southern Iranian ports.
This incident marks the 12th ship targeted by US forces since April and the third since the collapse of a June memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Tehran and Washington. As the 60-day window of the failed agreement nears its end, mediators from Qatar and Doha continue efforts to facilitate a diplomatic breakthrough.
Tehran’s rhetoric has intensified, with the IRGC warning that it is prepared to respond to threats from the Trump administration, including potential strikes on civilian infrastructure. IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi cautioned on Wednesday that any further threats against Iran would put global energy lines, power plants, and internet-connected infrastructure at risk.
Mohebbi also claimed that the US naval presence in the region has diminished significantly, noting that no American warships are currently stationed in the Persian Gulf. He further alleged that the Pentagon is facing a critical shortage of air defense missiles and precision munitions.
Mohammad Reza Naqdi, an adviser to the IRGC chief commander, claimed on state television that Iran’s domestic production of ballistic missiles and drones has outpaced its usage during the war. He asserted that the country’s missile capabilities would remain a persistent threat regardless of the conflict’s duration.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has moved to consolidate his inner circle by appointing six new military leaders. Among the changes, Hossein Taeb was named head of the IRGC’s Basij paramilitary force, and Ali Abdollahi was appointed to lead the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Abdollahi is tasked with integrating the Khatam al-Anbiya wartime command with the general staff to enhance coordination across naval, ground, cyber, and asymmetric warfare sectors.
President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the severe economic strain facing the population, warning that domestic opponents may attempt to exploit public discontent to destabilize the government. He described the current conflict as a complex struggle aimed at internal collapse.
Addressing regional security concerns, Ali Akbar Javidan, head of the border police in Kurdistan province, dismissed US reports of potential ground assaults by Iraq-based Kurdish separatists as “delusional,” maintaining that Iran’s borders remain secure. For many citizens, such as 36-year-old Tehran resident Jamshid, the ongoing uncertainty has led to a sense of hopelessness, with many fearing the war’s impact on the nation’s youth will be long-lasting.
With the 60-day period of the repeatedly violated MoU approaching next week, mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar have said they are continuing efforts to bring the two sides closer to a diplomatic solution.
“The US had about 30 to 40 war vessels in the region before the war, but today not even a single US warship is present in the Persian Gulf,” he said, adding that the declining level of key air defence missiles and precis
“Even if the war takes several years, our ballistic missiles would still descend on our enemies,” he said.
His defiant message was in line with conditions emphasised by his predecessor, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, and by newly appointed commanders as Iranian authorities maintain that they are willing and capable of continuing to stand up to their opponents in the US-Israel war on Iran.
But an arrangement with Oman, which Tehran said last week had been finalised and was awaiting confirmation at the top, still does not appear imminent, with military action continuing in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
“The US had about 30 to 40 war vessels in the region before the war, but today not even a single US warship is present in the Persian Gulf,” he said, adding that the declining level of key air defence missiles and precision munitions in the Pentagon’s arsenal was a “big threat” facing US decision-makers.
IRGC commander-in-chief Ahmad Vahidi said he would cooperate with the other military leaders in order to resist the “Zionist-American arrogance”.
Battling an exacerbating economic crunch, President Masoud Pezeshkian suggested on Wednesday that the opponents of the Islamic Republic may be looking to defeat it by banking on another round of nationwide protests on the back of public discontent.
“The current war is more complex than before, and the enemy is pursuing collapse from inside the country,” he said during a speech.
“The country’s borders are fully safe and impenetrable through the vigilance of border personnel and the backing of people living in border areas, including the brave people of Kurdistan, Sistan and Baluchistan, and Khuzestan,” he was quoted as saying by state media.
In the meantime, most of Iran’s population of about 90 million people continues to weather the worsening impact of war and uncertainty, as well as a tightening security grip at home.