TEHRAN: Iran said Wednesday that it has not yet deployed its most advanced weapons in the ongoing war with the United States and Israel, warning that it still retains significant military capabilities as the conflict expands across the Middle East.
A spokesman for Iran’s defence ministry said the country had so far used only part of its arsenal during the confrontation and was prepared for a prolonged conflict if necessary.
“We have the capacity to resist and to continue an offensive defence longer than what the enemy has planned,” defence ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik said, according to Iranian state media.
The latest remarks underscore rising fears that the conflict — which has already spread to Lebanon, Iraq, and several Gulf states — could widen further if both sides intensify their military operations.
The statement appeared to signal that Tehran still holds more powerful systems in reserve, even as missile and drone exchanges continue between Iran and Israel and US forces strike Iranian military targets.
The war began after coordinated US and Israeli strikes targeted Iranian military infrastructure, triggering retaliatory missile attacks by Tehran against Israeli territory and US-linked facilities across the region.
Since the start of hostilities, Iran has launched waves of missiles and drones toward Israel and military installations in the Middle East, while the United States says it has struck hundreds of Iranian military targets, including missile sites and command centres.
Iranian officials say the country is prepared for a long confrontation and warned that further escalation could follow if attacks on Iranian territory continue.
