IRGC says Iran prepared for prolonged war but does not rule out negotiations

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that it was prepared for a prolonged conflict with the United States while leaving open the possibility of negotiations if talks served Iran’s interests.

IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi told Iran’s state news agency IRNA that negotiations should not necessarily be interpreted as a step toward an immediate settlement or peace.

“Negotiation does not mean reaching a settlement or peace; it is, in fact, another phase of the war,” Mohebbi said.

He argued that diplomacy and military action could both form part of Iran’s broader confrontation with its adversaries, depending on the country’s strategic interests.

Mohebbi said the IRGC was prepared for a long-term war, but stressed that such preparations did not mean Tehran had completely ruled out negotiations.

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The spokesperson also said Iran possessed the technological capabilities needed to develop missiles with substantially longer ranges, adding that any decision to do so would ultimately depend on the country’s political leadership.

His comments come amid the continuing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel, which began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on 28th February. Iran subsequently launched attacks against Israel and US military positions across the region.

Separately, Japan’s Kyodo News reported on Monday that Tehran had proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days in exchange for an end to what Iran describes as a US naval blockade and a return to negotiations aimed at securing a permanent ceasefire.

Iran had not officially confirmed the reported proposal at the time of the report.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has separately said that Tehran presented Washington with seven conditions for resuming negotiations that could lead to an end to the conflict. Details of all the conditions were not provided in the report.

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