Iran's Army Chief: Enemy Forces Did Not Dare Approach Iran's Coastlines During Wars

AhlulBayt News Agency: Chief Commander of the Iranian Army, Major General Amir Hatami, says enemy forces did not dare approach Iran’s coastlines during recent US-Israel wars against the country, praising the Army’s Air Force and other military branches for their powerful defense of the country.

Speaking on Tuesday at a ceremony honoring the families of martyrs at Imam Ali Officers’ Academy, Hatami said Iran had fought a defensive war against aggression and successfully thwarted enemy objectives.

“In these battles, the enemy was the aggressor, and we defended ourselves powerfully. Although we were subjected to aggression in an oppressive manner, our defense was carried out with great strength,” he said.

Hatami noted that military science distinguishes between offensive and defensive wars, saying a defending country seeks only to repel aggression and protect its territory.

He said Iran came under deceitful attacks while engaged in negotiations aimed at resolving issues facing the nation, adding that “both times, we were attacked in the middle of negotiations.”

Israel and the United States launched two wars of aggression against Iran. The first war began on June 13 last year and lasted 12 days, while the second one was waged on February 28 this year and lasted 40 days. During both wars, the Iranian Armed Forces compelled the enemy to ask for a ceasefire.

The Army chief said the enemy had set major political and military goals for its campaign, including forcing the Iranian nation into submission and toppling the Islamic Republic. Referring to remarks by the US president, Hatami said those objectives had failed.

“In the 12-day war, the enemy pleaded for a ceasefire, and the same thing happened in the recent war,” he said. “They committed all their crimes, but none of their goals were achieved.”

Hatami said Iranian Army ground and naval forces, along with Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) units, were deployed across the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman coastlines, preventing enemy forces from approaching Iranian shores.

“Not an inch of our territory has been lost,” he said, adding that the enemy had suffered a political and strategic defeat while Iran had emerged stronger on the global stage.

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