IRGC says war to 'extend beyond the region' if fighting resumes
Representational photo. Courtesy: BBC
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stark warning on Wednesday, declaring that any resumption of U.S.-Israeli military strikes would trigger a "regional war" that extends far beyond the Middle East.
The statement, published by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, comes amid a fragile, open-ended ceasefire following a period of intense military escalation earlier this year.
The IRGC downplayed the impact of previous coalition airstrikes and emphasized that its true military capabilities have yet to be unleashed.
The IRGC claimed that despite being targeted by "the full capabilities of two of the most expensive armies in the world," it has not yet deployed the full force of the Islamic Revolution.
A Warning to Adversaries: Brushing off rhetoric, the statement read: "We are men of war. You will witness our strength on the battlefield, not in hollow statements or virtual pages."
The current standoff follows a rapid escalation of hostilities that began in late February:
February 28: President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran, launching massive, joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian military installations, government buildings, and critical infrastructure.
A temporary two-week ceasefire was brokered to allow for initial peace talks between U.S. and Iranian officials in Pakistan. However, these negotiations concluded without reaching a diplomatic resolution.
President Trump subsequently announced an indefinite extension of the ceasefire alongside a continued U.S. blockade on Iran, stating the measures will remain in place until negotiations conclude "one way or the other." (Source: abcnews)
