TEHRAN, Iran: A senior Iranian military commander on Thursday warned the United States and Israel against any miscalculation, adding that Iran’s forces had their “finger on the trigger.”
Mohammad Pakpour, the chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said that Washington and Tel Aviv should “learn from historical experience” and avoid any “miscalculation,” cautioning that failure to do so could lead to consequences that are even more painful and deeply regrettable.
Pakpour said Iran’s armed forces were “more prepared than ever” to carry out orders from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
He said this in a message marking Iran’s National Soldier Day, carried by Sepah News.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly kept open the possibility of further military action against the Islamic Republic after Washington supported and participated in Israel’s 12-day war in June, 2025.
He warned Israel and the United States “to avoid any miscalculations, by learning from historical experiences.
Pakpour assumed command of the IRGC last year after his predecessor, Hossein Salami, was among several senior military figures killed in an Israeli strike during the 12-day war.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities on Wednesday released their first official death toll from the protests, saying 3,117 people had been killed.
A statement from Iran’s Foundation for Martyrs and Veterans Affairs sought to differentiate between those it described as “martyrs” — members of the security forces and civilians — and “rioters,” whom it said were backed by the United States.
Of the total number reported, the foundation said 2,427 were classified as martyrs.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said earlier this week that US threats against Iran “encouraged plotters” to pursue what he described as a strategy of “maximum bloodshed.”
He added that while Iran “will always choose peace over war,” the country’s armed forces are prepared to respond fully if attacked, contrasting this stance with the “restraint” shown by Tehran during June 2025.
Protests erupted across Iran last month initially over economic grievances, but they quickly took on a political dimension and turned violent, resulting in casualties and widespread damage to public property, mosques, government buildings, and banks. Iranian authorities have accused the United States and Israel of inciting the unrest.
