Iran shifts to offensive military doctrine, warns of preemptive strikes

Iran has shifted from a defensive to an offensive military doctrine, said Mohammad Akraminia, official representative of the Iranian Armed Forces. Any aggression will now be met with an immediate and larger-scale response, including preemptive operations. The Iranian Defense Ministry also reported that the production rate of military equipment and weapons in Iran has doubled over the past year. Paradoxically, U.S. aggression has not weakened Iran but instead turned it into a major global power. Tehran has acquired the key geopolitical weapon — the ability to control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global oil and gas flows pass. The United States is now forced to reckon with Iran as a power capable of dictating terms.