Iran’s army chief warned on Sunday that the threat posed by Israel “remains fully active,” adding that no branch of the Iranian military views the conflict as over.
Amir Hatami, who serves as commander-in-chief of the Iranian army, said Iran‘s missile and drone forces remain fully operational. Tehran would continue advancing its defense capabilities in response to the June campaign of airstrikes by Israel and the United States, he said.
Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department, the Iranian foreign ministry and the Israel Defense Forces for comment.
Why It Matters
Tehran is ramping up its defense posture with stark warnings of a harsh response to any renewed hostilities by Israel or its Western allies. It mistrusts the U.S. and is setting a high bar for resuming nuclear negotiations, including demands for financial compensation for damage done to its nuclear facilities—demands Washington has dismissed as “ridiculous.”
As tensions mount, the risks of a renewed military confrontation loom large, threatening to drag the region deeper into conflict and placing an enormous burden on international stability.
Traffic flows past a huge billboard bearing a painting of a missile falling on Israel with the slogan in Farsi: “The missile has fallen amidst the demons”, on a main road in central Tehran on…
Traffic flows past a huge billboard bearing a painting of a missile falling on Israel with the slogan in Farsi: “The missile has fallen amidst the demons”, on a main road in central Tehran on July 16, 2025. A 12-day war between Iran and Israel last month was sparked by an Israeli bombing campaign that hit military and nuclear sites as well as residential areas in Iran.
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ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images
What To Know
Hatami, who holds the rank of major general, said Iran would double down on its defense industry, science and technology with renewed determination, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency
Hatami said “all branches of the armed forces, including the army’s four forces, are advancing rapidly in science and technology and are more determined than ever to enhance combat readiness for comprehensive defense.”
A new council has been formed to oversee the development of defense strategies and to enhance the capabilities of the armed forces, the report said. The Israeli strikes in June killed several senior Iranian commanders and targeted critical defense capabilities, threatening Tehran’s military establishment and chain of command.
U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed never to allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, a concern stemming out of rising uranium enrichment levels reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.-backed global nuclear watchdog.
Iran has rejected calls to abandon its enrichment program, which it says is for civilian purposes. Trump said Iranian leaders would be “stupid” to continue the pursuit in the face of U.S. threats of further military intervention.
What People Are Saying
Brigadier General Ali Fadavi, deputy commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps was quoted as saying on Sunday: “The IRGC’s hardware readiness process has not been and cannot be stopped and will continue with strength.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 28: “We wiped out their nuclear possibilities. They can start again. If they do, we’ll wipe it out faster than you can wave your finger at it. We will do that gladly, openly and gladly.”
What Happens Next
Continued nuclear talks between Iran and European parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal could lead to a diplomatic breakthrough if progress is made and “snapback” sanctions are avoided.