The Iranian military is actively assessing the potential impact of the United States’s planned economic measures, designed to destabilize the government in Tehran, following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ‘most crushing economic operation’ targeting Iran’s financial sector. This assessment has spurred a renewed focus on military strategy, with Iranian commanders reviewing new tactics to counter potential US threats. A key initiative is a significant expansion of domestic weaponry production, spearheaded by Ali Abdollahi, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, and Ahmad Vahdi, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iranian officials are evaluating new military strategies, notably focusing on ballistic and cruise missiles. According to Ministry of Defence spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik, authorities have tripled manufacturing of weapons and defensive equipment over the past year, a figure that has increased dramatically since the June 2025 Israel-US war. Talaei-Nik highlighted that over 9,300 companies are involved in weapon production, effectively creating a substantial barrier to US and Israeli strikes. The IRGC spokesman stated that the US intelligence assessment, released in May, indicated that approximately 75 percent of Iran’s mobile launchers and 70 percent of its pre-war missile inventory remain intact.
As a response to the escalating tensions, Iranian commanders have stated that the July strikes demonstrated a planned strategy for ground operations in southern Iran. The military is actively deploying new warheads for missiles and drones, including more complex explosive drones, to disrupt US operations and potentially target critical infrastructure. Radar positions and intelligence data revealed that Iran’s air defenses and aging air force largely failed to prevent US, Israeli and Arab breaches of its airspace during bombing runs. However, smaller electro-optical, heat-seeking, and man-portable systems have been able to intercept some targets.
The war with the US and Israel has significantly increased Iranian manufacturing of weapons and defensive equipment. Geographically dispersed underground bases, far from US targets, have remained largely untouched, while many overground manufacturing lines have been decimated. Iran’s air defenses and aging air force have been unable to effectively defend against US, Israeli and Arab breaches of its airspace during bombing runs. Despite these challenges, Iran has continued to produce weapons, including more complex and cheaper explosive drones, to disrupt US interceptors, oil flows, and strategic operations. The US has also successfully increased the number of Reaper drones in the region.
The US intelligence assessment, published in May, revealed that Iran retained approximately 75 percent of its mobile launchers and 70 percent of its pre-war missile inventory. The US, in addition, has managed to increase discrete oil and energy transfers via the Strait of Hormuz, despite significant damage to Iranian naval capabilities.
This conflict has prompted a diplomatic standstill, with neither side engaging in meaningful dialogue. The war’s continued impact continues to disrupt sea traffic and oil flows throughout the region, creating further instability and challenges for global energy markets.
Source: Al Jazeera
