Iran says military doctrine has shifted from defensive to offensive

Iran’s military has shifted from a defensive to an offensive doctrine following recent hostilities in the Persian Gulf region, an Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson said.

Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia told the IRNA news agency that the change had developed during the country’s two most recent wars.

He said the new approach includes “pre-emptive operations,” citing Iran’s attack on a US base in Jordan as an example. According to Akraminia, the operation caused significant damage to US equipment, facilities and personnel.

Akraminia also said Iran’s new doctrine envisages an immediate response to any military campaign, with retaliation potentially exceeding the scale of the initial attack.

He said the shift was reflected in Iran’s rapid and large-scale responses to attacks, as well as its readiness to conduct pre-emptive operations.

By Sabina Mammadli