Iranian press review: Tehran says it will no longer wait to be attacked

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Iran has shifted its military doctrine from defensive to offensive regarding US forces in the Middle East, illustrated by recent preemptive attacks and new military leadership appointments. Conservative factions inside Iran are pressuring to weaponize control over the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing regional tensions.

Iranian press review: Tehran says it will no longer wait to be attacked MEE correspondent on Thu, 08/13/2026 - 11:17 Meanwhile, conservatives demand full control over Hormuz, researcher compares current situation to final days of Iran-Iraq war, and concerns grow over US naval blockade A sculpture overlooking the Strait of Hormuz on the seafront in the port city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, on 10 August 2026 (AFP) Off Shift to offensive military doctrine in rhetoric Iranian military commanders and politicians have recently underlined a shift in Iran's military doctrine, moving from a defensive to an offensive strategy against US forces in the Middle East. The shift came with new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei appointing six military commanders to replace those killed by Israel and the US during the recent war.  While some figures had previously mentioned this change in military doctrine, the new appointments have made the topic prominent in local media. On Wednesday, Brigadier General Alireza Sheikh, the deputy commander of the army, explained this new approach towards US forces to the media. He pointed to recent attacks on the bases of Kurdish opposition groups as an example of this strategy. "Trump's political bluffs aim to distract public opinion and disrupt our analysis," Sheikh said. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "However, logical thinkers see that Iran can respond proportionally and even act pre-emptively. This shows our doctrine is shifting from purely defensive to deterrence and active action." Previously, Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to the parliament speaker, outlined the new military approach, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' attack on US bases in Jordan on 29 July as an example. The attack came without any preceding US strikes against Iran. "Iran no longer fights the enemy as it did in the past," Mohammadi said regarding the attack. "Launching surprise, fast attacks and targeting sensitive points are part of the country's new war strategy." Mohammadi also dismissed the idea of an unwritten ceasefire between Iran and the US, which some believed was tied to ongoing talks in Oman regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz. "Over the past week, an impression had formed that due to the ongoing negotiations between Iran and Oman, Iran would not act against the US unless directly fired upon," Mohammadi added. "However, realities on the ground showed this calculation was completely wrong." (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pressure mounts to weaponise Strait of Hormuz Ongoing talks between Iran and Oman to create a mechanism for controlling the Strait of Hormuz come amid rising pressure from conservative and ultraconservative groups inside Iran who want to maximise the use of the strait as a new weapon against the US and its allies. On Tuesday, Alireza Zakani, the principlist mayor of Tehran and a former Revolutionary Guard member, emphasised the need to halt any talks with the US, saying that Tehran must use its control over the Strait of Hormuz to advance its policies against Washington and its Arab and European allies. Iran's new Security Council shake-up reveals growing divisions over US deal Read More » "If America wants to benefit from the Strait of Hormuz, it must pay us compensation. If Qatar wants to use this strait, it must release our frozen funds. Hardening access to this vital route will make Europe no longer dare to sanction Iran," Zakani said. The pro-conservative Resalat daily also published a report, headlined “The drawn sword of Hormuz in Iran’s hand”, highlighting conservative demands that the Strait of Hormuz not be returned to the conditions that prevailed before the US and Israeli attacks. According to the daily, closing the strait was a response "proportional to the repeated military aggression of America and the Zionist regime, and the naval blockade imposed on Iran following it". Resalat concluded by stressing the importance of maintaining Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz: "This drawn sword must always remain in Iran's hands so that peace and security are guaranteed not through begging, but through power." 'Echoes' of days before end of Iran-Iraq war Majid Tafreshi, a political analyst and researcher of contemporary historical documents, compared Iran's current political situation to July 1988, when the country accepted UN Resolution 598 to end the war with Iraq. In 1980, Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein and backed by western military and intelligence support, invaded Iran and occupied parts of its oil-rich provinces. Iran, under the leadership of its first Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini, accepted the resolution in 1988. Inside the growing rift between Iran’s dealmakers and ultraconservatives Read More » Making this comparison, Tafreshi criticised political factions that want to continue the war with the US under current conditions. He noted