‘Diplomacy Is the Victim’: Iran warns US as missile strength grows

WEB DESK: Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has issued a scathing response to yesterday’s United States military strikes, dismissing Washington’s tactics as a “reckless adventure” and claiming that Iran’s military capabilities have actually increased despite the bombardment.

In a statement released shortly after the US strikes which the Pentagon described as a targeted effort to degrade Tehran’s offensive capabilities Minister Araghchi accused the Biden administration of sabotaging potential peace efforts.

The Minister suggested that the United States is being led into a “quagmire” by external “spoilers,” arguing that the use of force serves only to undermine the possibility of a negotiated settlement.

“Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure,” Araghchi stated, adding that the Iranian people “never bow to pressure.”

Disputes over military intelligence

A significant portion of Araghchi’s rebuttal was aimed at American intelligence assessments regarding the damage sustained by Iran’s military infrastructure.

He specifically challenged reports from the CIA which suggested that recent operations had reduced Iran’s missile inventory and launcher capacity to 75pc of their February levels.

Araghchi dismissed these figures as categorically false, asserting that the country’s arsenal is more robust than it was two months ago.

“The CIA is wrong,” he countered, claiming that the correct figure for their missile capacity currently stands at “120pc” compared to the end of February.

Tehran remains on high alert

The rhetoric from Tehran signals a period of heightened regional tension, with the Foreign Minister framing the US strikes as a “crude pressure tactic” that has failed to achieve its objectives.

Closing his statement with a flourish of defiance, Araghchi sought to reassure the Iranian public of the nation’s military posture in the face of further escalation.

When addressing the country’s current state of mobilisation and its intent to retaliate or defend against future incursions, he characterised Iran’s readiness to defend its people as standing at “1,000pc.”

The remarks suggest that, far from being deterred, Iran is preparing for a prolonged period of confrontation.