Mohsen Rezaei, a top military adviser to Iran's supreme leader, declared on Thursday that the US blockade of Iranian ports will not succeed, raising the prospect of armed confrontation should Washington maintain the restrictions. Speaking on state television, Rezaei asserted that Iran possesses multiple avenues to bypass the imposed sanctions and that attempts to enforce them would ultimately fail.
Rezaei warned that if the blockade continues, Tehran may opt for military confrontation as a means to break through it. He also outlined potential scenarios for a future conflict, describing warfare that would likely concentrate on southern coastal regions and extend toward Isfahan, with additional activity in the country's western areas. Such a conflict, he cautioned, could involve bombings and assassinations within Tehran itself.
The warnings come against a backdrop of recent military escalation between Iran and the United States. On February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran. Tehran responded with strikes targeting Israel and other regional countries hosting American military assets. The offensive resulted in more than 3,300 deaths before Washington and Tehran announced a two-week ceasefire on April 8, mediated by Pakistan.
The ceasefire, originally set to expire on April 22, was extended indefinitely by US President Donald Trump on April 21. Trump announced the extension at the request of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and military chief Asim Munir, according to the statement made at that time.
