Until Trump Is Out’: Iran Signals War Could Stretch for Years

Until Trump Is Out’: Iran Signals War Could Stretch for Years

New Delhi: Iran could seek to prolong its war with the United States until President Donald Trump leaves office, a senior adviser to the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said, suggesting that Tehran could pursue a strategy of prolonged attrition rather than seek a quick resolution to the conflict.

Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a senior adviser to the IRGC commander, said Iran needed to achieve deterrence so that its adversaries would think twice before attacking the country again.

According to CNN, Naqdi said one possible approach would be to prolong the conflict until the next US presidential term, allowing Iran to impose costs and attrition on its adversary.

The comments come as the US-Iran conflict continues to put pressure on both sides, with diplomatic efforts facing repeated hurdles.

Meanwhile, Trump has claimed that the United States has secured control of the Strait of Hormuz and portrayed Iran as increasingly weakened by the ongoing conflict.

Trump said US forces had established what he described as a strong naval blockade, while claiming that Iran's military capabilities had been severely degraded.

Iran, however, has shown little indication of backing down. Tehran has said that it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and has rejected Trump's demand for compensation as part of a possible peace agreement.

The prolonged conflict has also created economic pressure, particularly through disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important routes for global energy supplies.

The US administration has increasingly relied on sanctions and economic pressure in an effort to force Tehran towards an agreement. However, negotiations have repeatedly stalled, while Iran continues to resist Washington's demands.

The latest comments from Naqdi indicate that at least some elements within Iran's security establishment may be prepared for a long confrontation, rather than accepting a quick settlement.