As Trump arrives, Iran highlights its armed forces
“Our Armed Forces are in a state of full readiness to deal with any situation,” Baqeri told commanders at the Army’s First Naval Region.
By SETH J. FRANTZMANUpdated: MAY 13, 2025 20:22 US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. (photo credit: BANDAR ALGALOUD/COURTESY OF SAUDI ROYAL COURT/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
Iran is highlighting its armed forces as US President Donald Trump arrives in the Middle East, with Iranian state media quoting Iran’s top general, Maj.-Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, as saying that the armed forces are fully prepared for any threats.
The report in Iranian media said the general visited forces in Iran’s Hormozgan Province, “the country’s strategic southern waters, to assess their combat readiness... During his visit, which included inspections of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Oman Sea, Bagheri emphasized the importance of operational assessments in the region.”
“Our armed forces are in a state of full readiness to deal with any situation,” he told commanders in the army’s First Naval Region. Bagheri also stressed the role of the navy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. IRNA reported that Iranian Army Commander Brig.-Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi and Navy Commander R.-Adm. Shahram Irani accompanied Bagheri during the visit.
In Bandar Abbas, Bagheri visited military units and a naval facility. This comes weeks after a major explosion in a key southern Iranian port. “During the tour, Bagheri reviewed progress on defense projects and said that his visit to the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and the Sea of Oman aimed to ensure the readiness of the IRGC and the Army to protect national waters and strategic resources,” IRNA noted.
“Our advice to the enemies who sometimes pose threats against the establishment is: You may initiate a conflict with the Islamic Republic based on a miscalculation, but the ending, manner, timing, location, and developments on the battleground will not be within your control. It will be the Islamic Republic of Iran that will determine them,” Bagheri said.
Iraninan newspapers, including one with a cover photo of US President Donald Trump and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, are on display in Tehran this week. The only deal Iran might accept would essentially resemble the JCPOA, with all its inherent flaws, the writer cautions. (credit: WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY/REUTERS)
Headlines in Iranian media
“In case the enemies make a mistake or intend to take action against the [Islamic] establishment and the sacred waters and soil of the Islamic Republic of Iran, our armed forces have the ability and readiness to confront them,” he said.Trump’s multi-day visit has been in headlines of Iranian state media from Sunday through Tuesday, indicating the importance with which the Islamic Republic views the trip. It is impossible not to see it in relation to the recent US-Iran indirect talks in Oman. It also comes as Iran’s foreign minister flew to the UAE.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in the UAE to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments with senior Emirati officials, Iran’s state media said.“During this visit, Araghchi will meet with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, vice president of the UAE. Araghchi will discuss and exchange views on bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments.“Expressing deep disgust and regret over the continued genocide and killing of the Palestinian Muslim people in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the Israeli regime’s aggression and terrorist acts against Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, Araghchi said that confronting the occupation regime’s expansionism and continued lawlessness requires serious efforts and action from regional and Islamic countries.”Iran also reached out to Egypt to discuss the recent talks with the US in Oman. A US ally, Cairo recently held military drills with China, a close friend of Tehran.
