TEHRAN: (HRNW) A spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik, has declared that military operations will continue with “full intensity and strength” until the opposing forces reach a state of complete surrender. In a defiant statement issued on Monday, March 23, 2026, the spokesperson asserted that the “enemy” has effectively been forced from the scene, noting that current surveillance shows no trace of hostile foreign vessels in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman. This claim of maritime dominance comes despite a 48-hour ultimatum previously issued by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not fully reopened to international shipping. While Tehran maintains that the waterway remains open under strict wartime monitoring, military officials have warned of “irreversible destruction” to regional energy and desalination infrastructure—including sites in the UAE and Israel—should Iran’s own grid be targeted. Although President Trump reportedly postponed planned strikes for a five-day period following what he termed “productive conversations,” the Iranian Defense Ministry reiterated that its strategy of “uninterrupted combat” remains in place to defend national sovereignty and ensure a “decisive victory” for the Resistance Front.
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