IRGC Declares Six-Month Combat Readiness Amid "Operation Epic Fury"
In an interview with the state-affiliated Fars News, Naeini claimed that the IRGC is prepared for a "prolonged war" and is set to introduce advanced strategic weaponry that has not yet been deployed on a large scale.
The conflict, which entered its second week, follows the collapse of 21 days of indirect nuclear negotiations in late February. On February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched a massive coordinated campaign—Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion—targeting Iran’s command structure, naval assets, and nuclear infrastructure. The initial strikes reportedly resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Naeini asserted that in retaliation, Iran has successfully targeted over 200 U.S. and Israeli military installations across the Middle East using its "True Promise IV" drone and missile waves.
As the war expands, Tehran has shifted toward a strategy of regional attrition. While President Masoud Pezeshkian has offered apologies to neighboring Gulf states for collateral damage, the IRGC leadership remains committed to "painful blows" against U.S. interests. Military analysts suggest that while the opening air campaign decimated much of Iran's fixed infrastructure, the IRGC’s decentralized "mosaic defense" and vast underground missile cities are designed specifically to withstand the kind of long-term pressure General Naeini is now projecting.
