Iran’s Northern Fleet commander warned US forces that Iranian military readiness is at its peak. The statement follows the US Central Command’s formation of Task Force Iron Gate to curb Iranian arms smuggling across land and maritime borders.
Iran Issues Warning to US Forces
Commander of Iran’s Northern Fleet Rear Admiral Mohsen Razzaqi has send out a warning to the American forces in the region saying that coordination among Iran’s armed forces is at its highest level, underscoring naval units’ readiness to defend maritime borders around the clock. Speaking at a ceremony in the northern coastal city of Astara, Razzaqi described human resources as the Army Navy’s most important asset.
He said that naval forces, including missile and drone units as well as commandos, maintain a continuous presence to safeguard the country’s waters. “The cost of any aggression against Iran must be raised to such an extent that the enemy will no longer dare attack the country again,” he said, according to the IRNA news agency. He added that the armed forces’ strategy goes beyond merely ending hostilities and aims to impose prohibitive costs on any aggressor.
Strategic Deterrence and Official Directives
Razzaqi pointed to Iran’s missile, drone and naval capabilities, its strategic geographical position and the steadfastness of its people as central elements of the country’s deterrence. His remarks form part of a series of statements by Iranian officials and commanders signaling full preparedness to respond to any renewed act of aggression. Earlier, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei posted on X: “Start a war, and you’ll face a devastating response.”
In late October, Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei ordered “maximum deterrence,” instructing commanders to deliver an immediate and effective response without geographical restriction should the country come under attack again. The directive called for intelligent combat readiness to confront threats decisively and for the continuous updating of target banks.
US Response and Task Force Iron Gate
The fresh Iran warning came after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the establishment of a new task force to disrupt Iran’s alleged use of ground transit routes for transporting advanced weapons, dual-use technologies and other sanctioned materials, as Washington seeks to tighten restrictions on Tehran’s military supply networks.
According to a statement issued by CENTCOM, the task force, named Task Force Iron Gate, was established on Saturday under the direction of CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper. The team will comprise approximately 20 civilian and military personnel based in Tampa, Florida. The newly established task force will coordinate with other US government agencies to prevent the movement of advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials and illegal revenue streams across Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea.
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