Iran’s Rezaei challenges the US over airstrikes, asking why American ground forces have not entered Iran as Tehran keeps talks open.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei has challenged the United States to send its soldiers into Iran if Washington is serious about its military campaign, questioning why American forces have continued to rely on air strikes instead of launching a ground operation.
“If the Americans are serious, let their soldiers come and enter Iran. Why do they not come in?” Rezaei said, arguing that ground forces ultimately have the final say in wars.
“Why do the airborne divisions not come? Why do the US ground forces not enter Iran? Why do they only bomb from the sky and then leave?” he asked.
Rezaei’s remarks come as the US-Iran conflict continues, with Washington and Tehran trading threats while diplomatic efforts remain underway to end the war.
Rezaei, a close ally of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, was appointed his military adviser in March before taking charge of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council in August, according to Reuters.
Iran-US War: Tehran Challenges Washington
The comments underline the gap between the two sides’ military strategies. The United States has continued to use air power and other stand-off capabilities against Iranian targets, while Iran has sought to retaliate against US military positions and regional interests rather than face a conventional US ground invasion.
In his latest comments, Rezaei claimed that Iran had revised its military strategy towards Washington and was better prepared to respond to American air strikes. He also warned that Iranian attacks on US bases and American interests in the region would become more intense if Washington launched another attack.
Why A US Ground Operation Would Be A Major Escalation
Rezaei’s challenge comes against the backdrop of a conflict in which the US has so far relied heavily on air power rather than attempting to occupy Iranian territory. A large-scale ground offensive would represent a fundamentally different phase of the war, requiring troops to enter and hold territory in a country with extensive mountainous terrain and a large population.
Earlier analysis of the possibility of a US ground operation has pointed to Iran’s geography, including its mountainous terrain, as a major military challenge. Experts cited by Al Jazeera said a large invasion would be difficult, although smaller and more limited ground missions could theoretically be possible.
Rezaei’s latest remarks therefore appear aimed at questioning the limits of Washington’s current military strategy: whether sustained air strikes can deliver the kind of decisive outcome that Tehran says would require troops on the ground.
Rezaei Issues War Warning While Keeping Talks Open
At the same time, Rezaei’s comments come alongside a renewed diplomatic push.
On September 19, Rezaei told Al Jazeera that Iran had conveyed conditions to Washington through Qatar for ending the war and that Tehran was waiting for US President Donald Trump’s response. The conditions include an end to the war on all fronts, the release of frozen Iranian funds and an end to the US naval blockade.
Iran has also indicated that Qatar and Pakistan are continuing contacts aimed at reviving negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Rezaei has warned that Iran is prepared for a “decisive war” if its demands are rejected, while simultaneously keeping the possibility of negotiations open.