Nournews: “Any potential aggression against Iranian territory will be met with a decisive response, and the aggressors will suffer irreparable losses. Iran will determine the time, place, and manner of this response.”
This clear warning from Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, during his visit to combat units in the Persian Gulf and amidst Trump’s trip to Arab countries, carried a message beyond mere military posturing.
In fact, this warning gains meaning within the broader context of Iran’s diplomatic movements—most notably the successive visits of Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE ahead of Trump’s visit to those same countries.
The integration of diplomacy and defense in a deterrence framework
As the Persian Gulf once again becomes a focal point of geopolitical rivalries, the Islamic Republic of Iran is implementing a strategic model in which active diplomacy and firm deterrence work hand in hand.
Araghchi’s diplomatic missions to Arab capitals—coordinated with indirect Iran-U.S. talks in Oman—reflect Tehran’s understanding of the current complexities and its simultaneous efforts to stabilize national power across various domains, not merely through dialogue.
Seen in this light, Bagheri’s remarks should not be interpreted as merely a military statement, but rather as an extension of diplomatic efforts to prevent military conflict in the region. Iran is striving through calculated and purposeful warnings to make regional and extra-regional actors aware of the Persian Gulf’s security realities and to push them toward more responsible decision-making regarding collective security.
A call for responsible neighborhood: An invitation to regional peace
From a discursive perspective, Bagheri’s statements also carry an important message for Arab countries. As a regional player and neighbor, he warns that any ignition of conflict—regardless of its source—will have uncontrollable consequences that won’t be limited to Iran alone.
In this framework, his comments are not threats, but warnings born from concern for regional security.
Iran believes that mere neutrality from regional countries is no longer sufficient. Current conditions require these states to move from passive observation to active participation in ensuring regional security and preventing conflict. More than ever, the regional security structure needs effective actors who genuinely seek sustainable stability—not fragile balances based on the presence of foreign powers.
From economic opportunity to leverage over the U.S.
Trump’s trip to Arab nations—aimed at boosting economic cooperation, especially in energy and arms sectors—also has a hidden strategic dimension. The U.S. president seeks to leverage the economic gains of these trips to bolster his position amid domestic instability and political pressure.
However, these very economic interests could become a powerful tool in the hands of Arab countries to influence the White House’s security decisions.
If these countries use their position wisely, they could condition economic and regional cooperation in ways that deter the U.S. from pursuing military options. Under such circumstances, any warmongering would not only be costly, but could also threaten Washington’s economic equations in the region.
Iran’s strategy: Active deterrence, responsible dialogue
In essence, Iran’s behavior model is based on a combination of active deterrence and purposeful diplomacy—a strategy where bolstering defensive readiness to confront threats serves not as a contradiction to dialogue, but as a means of strengthening Iran’s standing at the negotiation table.
What is evident in both Bagheri’s remarks and Araghchi’s diplomatic missions are two sides of the same strategic coin: securing peace from a position of strength, and inviting war prevention from a position of shared responsibility.
This synchronization of military deterrent messaging and diplomatic initiatives shows that Iran, while warning of the consequences of any military adventurism, seeks to utilize all regional capacities to maintain stability and avoid a new era of conflict and turmoil. On this path, regional countries too must reassess their long-term interests and decide where they will stand in the future history of Persian Gulf security.
NOURNEWS