Iran's Supreme Leader Issues Firm Military Directives

On October 31st, Iran's Supreme Leader, Mujtaba Khamenei, issued clear orders to senior commanders of the country's armed forces, signaling a shift in Iran's military posture.

Core Demand: Immediate, Unrestricted, Potent Response

Khamenei's central command was unequivocal: effective countermeasures must be taken immediately against any threat from adversaries, regardless of its level or nature. He specifically stressed that such responses would be "unrestricted by geography," implying that Iranian military reactions might not be confined to its territory or conventional conflict zones.

He defined "maintaining full combat readiness for a powerful confrontation with the enemy" as a key component of Iran's "maximum deterrence." This suggests that deterrence stems not only from weaponry but from the resolve and capability to engage in actual combat at any moment.

Claiming the Right to End Wars and Upgrading Indigenous Defense

Khamenei asserted that if enemies launch another military or terrorist attack, the timing and conditions for ending the war would be determined by Iran's armed forces and its people. This signals Iran's preparedness for protracted conflict and its intent to control the ultimate initiative.

To underpin this strategy, he ordered enhancements in two critical areas:

  • Deepening Indigenous Defense Doctrine: Developing "theoretical" and "tactical" aspects extensively to reduce reliance on external military frameworks.
  • Leveraging New Technology: Utilizing cutting-edge technology to comprehensively upgrade defense and security capabilities for modern warfare.

Target List Update: Expanding the Strike Radius

A notable concrete measure is the updating of military target lists. According to the directive, various tangible and intangible assets of the United States and Israel will be included within the potential strike range of Iranian armed forces. This significantly expands Iran's declared deterrence radius, directly placing key interests of its adversaries at risk.

Collectively, these directives outline Iran's current national security logic: deterring potential conflict by demonstrating a resolve for unrestricted retaliation, upgrading autonomous military capabilities, and explicitly broadening the scope of its deterrence, all while preparing comprehensively for possible confrontation.