"The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will never be caught unawares, and should the enemy want to act on the immature fantasy of aggression, it will face a crushing and lethal response by the Armed forces,” commander of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan was quoted as saying by Iranian news agency Fars.
“Today, we are facing new threats that are different from [those in] the past in terms of type, shape and size,” he added.
Pourdastan said Iranian intelligence experts are monitoring the movements of the "enemy at the borders, across the region and beyond the region.”
The Islamic Republic has repeatedly said its nuclear program poses no threat to other countries, reiterating that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.
Pourdastan's comments were reminiscent of those of Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, who warned of Iran's military readiness earlier this week.
Speaking in Tel Aviv at a security conference organized by the Israel Defense publication and the Israel Artillery Association, Gilad said Iran could break out to nuclear weapons "very quickly" and that the security forecast was not sunny.
"Today is a pleasant day. But there are clouds, and a storm, on the horizon," he said. "People don't believe it until it comes."