Iran's senior armed forces spokesman, General Abolfazl Shekarchi, said the Strait of Hormuz remains under Iranian control despite American provocations, warning that no vessel can guarantee safe passage without Tehran's approval. 

Speaking in a televised interview, Shekarchi reviewed the history of the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, which he said was imposed on Iran under US leadership. He said the war, despite heavy losses, helped build the capabilities of Iran's armed forces from its early days, citing popular mobilization through the Basij as a key achievement.

Shekarchi said Iran's post-revolution military shifted its doctrine from conventional to asymmetric warfare, which he described as relying on lower-cost, simpler but effective equipment to counter the enemy's expensive heavy weaponry. 

He said Iran had once been unable to buy basic medical supplies for wounded troops during the Iran-Iraq war, but has since become self-sufficient in producing modern defense equipment. 

Shekarchi said Iran's armed forces are now significantly stronger than at the start of previous wars, adding that Iran's missiles and drones have become more advanced and that the country holds surprises for any future act of aggression using new military technology. He said Iran has not attacked the sovereignty of neighboring Muslim countries and that its responses have targeted American interests and facilities within those countries.

He warned neighboring Muslim states to reconsider their positions, saying reliance on the United States would not serve them, and said Iran would not make the slightest retreat in the face of the enemy. 

On the Strait of Hormuz, Shekarchi said any vessel attempting passage outside Iran's designated routes would not be secure, and warned Washington against any interference in the strait, saying such a move would be met with force. He said Iran, as a global power, would never allow the United States to regain its former position in the international order, adding that American forces have no path to safety other than withdrawing from West Asia, and that the sooner they leave, the smaller their losses would be.

Referring to US President Donald Trump and Israeli regime’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Shekarchi said Iran would continue to pursue the killers of the country's martyred Leader and the Iranian people even after the end of the war, adding that they would be punished for their actions.

MNA