In an in-depth interview with Mehr News Agency, Head of Iran's Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences Mohammad-Javad Larijani stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran would not pursue a narrowly reciprocal response based on the principle of “an eye for an eye” if faced with potential aggression.
He explained that Iran’s response would move beyond a purely defensive framework and shift toward an offensive strategy, targeting the origins and foundations of the aggressor’s presence and intervention in the region. “The response would be directed at centers that generate insecurity and instability,” he said.
Larijani outlined two distinct strategic approaches. The first, he noted, is a defensive logic based on limited and proportional responses. However, he emphasized that if aggression is repeated, Iran would move beyond this framework and adopt a broader offensive strategy aimed at the aggressor’s regional interests and assets. “This would fundamentally change the scope of targets and is a decisive point,” he said.
Referring to experiences gained during the 12-day war, Larijani said Iran acquired significant operational lessons in dealing with such scenarios. He warned that if such a path is repeated, the adversary would face “numerous surprises for which it is fundamentally unprepared.”
He added that US President Donald Trump’s longstanding approach has been based on delivering a rapid strike followed by extensive media operations to project strength. “This approach is incompatible with the strategy outlined by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, under which the aggressor would be effectively immobilized in the region,” Larijani said.
Larijani noted that due to the extensive and dispersed nature of US interests in the region, Iran’s operational field would be correspondingly broad. He warned that the United States should be prepared for human casualties, the return of numerous coffins to Washington, and the loss of significant regional interests, adding that such developments would seriously threaten regional security for an unpredictable period.
He said the range of Iran’s potential targets would extend from the occupied Palestinian territories to neighboring areas and beyond. “In this strategy, we do not wait to see which point the other side targets; we determine which points must be struck,” he said, describing this as a fundamental shift from previous approaches that would encompass the entire region.
Larijani warned that any assumption by the Trump administration that limited or symbolic action combined with media pressure could achieve strategic objectives reflects a serious miscalculation. He described the strategy outlined by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution as a new and significant approach with broad regional and international dimensions.
He also addressed the role of psychological warfare, saying that large-scale media and psychological operations are currently underway against Iran, particularly targeting internal public opinion. He noted that technological tools and social media platforms have amplified the impact of such operations, reducing public attention spans and creating conditions favorable to psychological manipulation.
Larijani further referred to the phenomenon of “sedition,” describing it as a multidimensional threat involving external planners, internal networks, and systematic deception through the distortion of facts and the mixing of truth and falsehood.
MNA6742227
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