Iran shifts military doctrine from defensive to offensive

Mohammad-Reza Naqdi, a top adviser to the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has announced a fundamental shift in Iran’s military doctrine from a defensive posture to an offensive one. Naqdi stated that the conditions for implementing this new approach have been met and that recent high-level military appointments are part of preparing the armed forces for this policy.

The new doctrine is expected to utilize “hybrid warfare,” combining military capabilities and weaponry with diplomacy, propaganda, economic affairs, and social components. Naqdi emphasized that Iran’s military equipment is “entirely of national origin,” allowing for rapid technological evolution and battlefield management, specifically noting the country’s capacity to produce missiles and drones.

This strategic shift follows a significant reorganization of Iran’s top military and security leadership. The reshuffle, described as a major overhaul of the government’s top echelon, occurs amid a period of heightened confrontation with the United States and a pivot toward a state of permanent military resistance. Naqdi suggested that the goal is to achieve deterrence through attrition, noting that Iran must be prepared to “take the operation into enemy territory” when conditions are favorable.