IRGC Navy Official: Power Remains the Only Reliable Guarantee Against Enemies

A senior official of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has stressed that national power remains the only effective guarantee against adversaries, arguing that Iran’s enemies retreat only when confronted with strength.

Mohammad Akbarzadeh, the IRGC Navy’s deputy for political affairs, made the remarks at a ceremony in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday.

The official noted that recent developments reaffirmed the importance of maintaining Iran’s military, political, and social resilience.

Akbarzadeh was referring to the latest bout of the United States’ and the Israeli regime’s unprovoked aggression targeting the Islamic Republic, which was met with the country’s decisive and successful retaliation.

Referring to the policies of the adversaries, Akbarzadeh said enemies do not alter their behavior out of goodwill, but rather in response to demonstrated power.

“The enemy retreats when it sees your strength, not because it feels sympathy for you,” he said.

Addressing the underway diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Washington, the official highlighted that power remains the ultimate safeguard in any future agreement.

“The real guarantee in any agreement is power,” he said, adding that Iran would not retreat if the opposing side failed to honor its commitments.

“We negotiate to secure our rights, not to grant concessions.”

The official also pointed to the adversaries’ regional projects such as the Abraham Accords, namely US-backed normalization agreements between regional states and the Israeli regime, and the so-called expansionist “Greater Middle East” scheme.

Akbarzadeh identified the Islamic Republic as the principal obstacle in the face of such projects, saying the disruptive role has contributed to continued hostility towards the country.

The official, meanwhile, addressed the enemies’ “cognitive warfare” against Iran, noting how hostile actors sought to weaken public resolve through media campaigns and efforts to force strategic miscalculations.

He argued, however, that historical experience demonstrates the Iranian nation’s ability to withstand external pressure and challenges.