'Despite the large number of missiles and drones we have already launched, we still possess reserves and missile cities whose doors have not yet been opened.'
As the US-Israel war against Iran that began on February 28 shows no signs of abating, Iran has stunned global observers with its aggressive military posture, launching strikes not only against Israel but also targeting strategic interests across Gulf countries, shifting the balance of power in a rapidly escalating war.
In an exclusive interaction with Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff, Iranian Consul General in Mumbai Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh asserted that Tehran remains resolute and far from exhausted, claiming significant untapped military capabilities even after weeks of sustained conflict.
Echoing global commentary, including that of CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour, who remarked that Iran now appears to be 'in the driving seat' in this confrontation, Motlagh suggested that both the United States and Israel miscalculated the scale and endurance of Iran's response, with Tehran prepared to continue until its strategic and political objectives are fully realised.
Addressing concerns related to India, Motlagh struck a measured and reassuring tone, emphasising that Tehran continues to view New Delhi as a friend and understands its diplomatic positions amid the conflict.
He clarified that Indian ships are not being blocked from passing through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, though he cautioned that the waterway has effectively become a battlefield, making navigation risky.
Motlagh noted that several Indian vessels have already transited safely in coordination with Iranian authorities, and urged ship operators and crews to follow the guidance of Iran's armed forces to ensure their safety under current wartime conditions.
Key Points
- 'The armed forces of Iran have confronted the United States and the Zionist regime and will respond forcefully until Iran's legitimate demands are realised.'
- 'Iran has not, up to now, closed the Strait of Hormuz to all countries; it is only closed to the enemy's commercial vessels.'
- 'The attack on Iran was not an attack on a country -- it was an attack on a civilisation.'
The war started on February 28 and there seems to be no end to it. Do you feel the US and Israel underestimated the power of the Iranian military before entering this war?
I believe that the US military had a relative assessment of the capabilities of Iran's armed forces, and it was for this reason that over the past more than 20 years -- even though several limited confrontations did occur -- they refrained from expanding the conflict.
On several occasions when they intended to attack Iran, they ultimately refrained from initiating war at the last moment.
The Israeli military was also relatively familiar with Iran's military capabilities; however, the prime minister of the Zionist regime was determined to achieve his objective --namely, the disintegration of Iran through regime change. Therefore, he sought to draw the United States into accompanying him in the conflict and, in their own words, 'finish the matter'.
Accordingly, it appears that by exerting pressure on the US president, he convinced him to carry out this attack, and the initiation of the war was Mr Trump's decision, not the assessment of the US armed forces.
According to received information, along this path, some commanders had raised warnings up to the moments before the start of the war, which led to their removal.
The question that comes to everyone's mind is: How long can Iran hold on against the continuous bombing by the US and Israel? Does Iran have sufficient means to sustain this fight for a long period?
The armed forces of Iran, with full capacity and by utilising the strategic position of the Islamic Republic of Iran, have confronted the United States and the Zionist regime and will respond forcefully until Iran's legitimate demands are realised.
It should be noted that, so far -- nearly three weeks into the war -- the doors of some of Iran's reserves and underground missile cities have not yet been opened.
One question being asked across the world is: Why is Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, which is the passage for nearly 20 percent of the world's oil supply?
Your question has two aspects: The 'how' and the 'why'.
Regarding the 'how', I must state that Iran has not, up to now, closed the Strait of Hormuz to all countries; it is only closed to the enemy's commercial vessels.
However, commercial vessels of other countries must also understand that at present the Strait of Hormuz is a battlefield, and the passage of ships is accompanied by very high risk. Therefore, for the safety of vessels and their crews, their transit is restricted during times of crisis.
As for the 'why', I must say that Iran has been under unjust sanctions for more than 45 years, and for over 20 years the United States and its partners have proudly used terms such as 'the most severe sanctions in the world' or 'daily intensification of sanctions' against Iran, in order to pressure the Iranian people, create dissatisfaction with the system, and through unrest, cause problems for Iran.
Thus, the people of Iran sit beside the Strait of Hormuz and observe the passage of commercial ships carrying vast quantities of goods and oil, while they have no share in it --this despite the fact that the Strait of Hormuz is part of Iran's territorial waters.
The passage of these ships has so far taken place with Iran's magnanimous approach, without charging fees or imposing restrictions, yet instead of appreciation, pressure on the Iranian people has increased day by day, to the point that it led to a military attack on our country.
Therefore, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not faced -- and does not face -- any legal, defensive, or protective obstacle to closing the Strait of Hormuz.
As I said earlier, it has not closed it so far; however, if the enemies make the situation more complex, the Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to take any action within the framework of rights based on international law and the Charter of the United Nations and will utilise all its capabilities and instruments.
What does Iran hope to achieve by closing the Strait of Hormuz?
As I mentioned in the previous question, the Strait of Hormuz has not been closed, but due to being located in a war zone, restrictions have been imposed, and under these conditions you can observe the global economy.
If necessary and in the event of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will seek to realise its rights and defend its people, because countries and international organisations, despite witnessing these pressures and restrictions on the Iranian people, neither assisted against the source of pressure nor came to the aid of the oppressed and resilient Iranian people.
Now the patience of the people has been exhausted, and under these circumstances they demand that the system use all its capabilities to pursue their rights.
Nevertheless, up to now, the Islamic Republic of Iran, by not blocking the Strait of Hormuz, has attempted to pursue its rights through other means so that sudden pressure is not imposed on the people of other countries.
From Iran's perspective, what will it take for the war to end? US-Israel have called for your surrender.
Yes, it is better to say that they sought our surrender, because under current conditions they no longer speak of this issue, as they lack the capacity for it.
However, from our perspective, the end of the war is when Iran's conditions are fulfilled and the enemy no longer entertains the thought of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran -- and even if encouraged by international devils, refrains from such action.
Iran is vastly outnumbered in terms of arms and ammunition. Given this, how long can you hold out?
That is your assessment, but I say we must wait and see.
However, I will also say this: In war -- which over the past approximately 50 years has been imposed on us for the third time, and with which we are fully familiar and experienced -- the mere number of weapons is not the sole determining factor.
Although, as I mentioned in a previous question, by the grace and power of God, despite the large number of missiles and drones we have already launched, we still possess reserves and missile cities whose doors have not yet been opened.
Beyond this, geographical position, public support, the morale of fighters, economic factors, and so forth are also important, and in many of these factors we hold the upper hand.
In that same context, how have the bombings changed the lives of ordinary Iranians? Are there shortages of food and other essential items? How is the Iranian government coping with the situation?
Yes, the bombardments have changed the normal lives of Iranians.
Brave Iranians, who before the war during Ramadan were each engaged in their own work, are now united, hand in hand, and in some cases gathering day and night in streets and squares.
Through this, they both stand ready to confront any movements by the agents of the Zionist regime with decisiveness, and to encourage the fighters engaged in battle against foreign aggressors.
A phrase is now circulating among the people in Iran: They say to their brave fighters, 'The streets are ours, and the battlefield is yours.'
Regarding the availability of essential goods, based on my follow-ups with contacts inside the country, domestic news, and even reports from foreign journalists in Iran, the Iranian government, using the experiences of the two previous imposed wars, has created conditions in which essential supplies are currently available in stores to all my compatriots, and there is no problem in this regard.
What has been the public sentiment in Iran regarding the war? Is the common public willing to suffer the war, or do they want to give in and get some peace deal?
As I explained in previous questions, the people of Iran do not merely endure the war; rather, they demand its continuation with strength until Iran's demands are realised. If any call for surrender is raised, the people of Iran will firmly extinguish it at its inception.
One fails to understand: when Ayatollah Khamenei knew he could be a target of an Israeli missile strike, why did he not move to a safer location?
Unless you are familiar with the culture of a civilisation, you will not understand these matters.
Iran is not an ordinary country; it is a civilisation with a history older than recorded human history.
The attack on Iran was not an attack on a country -- it was an attack on a civilisation.
If Iran's martyred leader had gone to a shelter while not all people had access to shelters, no one would have sacrificed themselves for their country in this way, supported the established system, or stood by it to the end.
These strong and ever-present people derive this spirit from their leader.
This is also a problem for the United States -- they do not understand this spirit.
I remember that a few months ago journalists asked me whether Iran's leader had fled to Russia or was hiding in an underground bunker. I found such questions amusing, because they were comparing the Iranian nation to themselves.
Even though I was in India at that time, I was certain that my leader had not left his simple place of residence -- just as he demonstrated to the world through his martyrdom.
Was there a vacuum within the Iranian establishment after Ayatollah Khamenei's death, and did this create any disillusionment regarding continuing the war against the US and Israel?
No, as you saw, immediately upon the martyrdom of the leader, in accordance with pre-established legal systems, a council assumed the leader's duties until the Assembly of Experts -- whose responsibility it is to appoint the leader -- was convened according to law and selected a new leader.
The existence of such mechanisms prevents despair among the people in pursuing their objectives.
Before his death, did Ayatollah Khamenei give any specific instructions to the Revolutionary Guards that they should continue the war against the US and Israel and not surrender?
Of course, he was the commander-in-chief and had specified points and methods regarding the war, as was stated in his speeches, and this is clear.
However, the existing system in the country has already defined everyone's duties and announces the legal frameworks when necessary.
The Iranian embassy in India had appealed for funds from Indians for humanitarian assistance to Iranian citizens affected by the ongoing war. What kind of response did this appeal receive, and why was it later discontinued?
The Iranian embassy did not request assistance; rather, it responded to the request of the people of India who wished to help their Iranian brothers and provided a mechanism for this purpose, which is still ongoing and has not been suspended.
However, there have been some banking access issues for transferring funds, which, I believe, are being followed up in cooperation with the relevant bank in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel, and a day later Israel attacked Iran. Has this created any strain in India-Iran relations, especially considering that the current government is often perceived as being close to the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu?
No, we always view our friends with goodwill.
Was there any concern or disappointment in Iran that Prime Minister Modi did not condemn Ayatollah Khamenei's assassination?
No, we understand the circumstances of our friends.
India has not allocated any funds for the Chabahar port in the Union Budget 2026. How does the Iranian government view this development?
As I mentioned in the previous question, we understand the circumstances of our friends and respect their decisions.
How do you assess the current status of Iran-India relations?
Relations between the two countries are ongoing.
Iran has stated that the Strait of Hormuz is closed to enemy countries. In this situation, will Indian ships be allowed to pass through the Strait?
As I mentioned in one of the previous questions, Indian ships are not blocked from passing through the Strait of Hormuz; however, the Strait is part of the battlefield, and there is a risk of incidents, damage, and harm to ships and their crews. Therefore, restrictions on transit exist to prevent such situations.
I believe 26 Indian ships are stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. What message will you give to the families of Indian sailors who are stuck there?
Yes, to the extent that I have been informed, so far several ships, in coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran and with security arrangements in place for them, have fortunately succeeded in passing without any damage.
My message to the families of the crews of these ships is to follow the recommendations of Iran's armed forces -- recommendations intended to protect them from harm under wartime conditions -- and to coordinate with them.
They should also pray that the Persian Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz are soon cleared of outsiders and, as in previous years before the presence of foreign powers, all neighbours of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz may live in peace and friendship and benefit from the blessings of these regions along with other countries of the world.
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