Iranian Army spokesman warns US against ‘miscalculation’ as MoU expires

TEHRAN — Brigadier General Mohammad Akrami-Nia, spokesman for Iran's Army, has warned the United States against any miscalculations, stressing that Iranian armed forces are more prepared than ever to respond to any new act of aggression.

"We hope that the enemy (the US) does not make another miscalculation and does not once again fall under the influence of the Zionists. However, if this miscalculation occurs, I must state that our readiness is far, far greater than in the past," General Akrami-Nia made the comments in an exclusive interview with Tehran Times as he visited the English daily newspaper's office with an accompanying delegation on Monday.

The warning comes as a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at ending fighting between the US and Iran expired on Monday. Iran says it has not decided to restart talks with the US.

The MoU was signed on June 17 by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. It followed an earlier truce deal designed to bring an end to the joint US and Israeli aggression on Iran that initially began on February 28. The US repeatedly violated its commitments by launching attacks on Iran.

Following Iran’s robust military response against Israel and US bases in the region, which prompted Trump to end the war after 39 days, subsequent retaliatory operations by Iran against American bases during the post-ceasefire period also compelled the US army to halt its strikes.

Further in his remarks, General Akrami-Nia said the US may resume attacks on Iran based on its previous betrayal of diplomacy.

"The possibility of another act of aggression certainly exists, because even when we were engaged in negotiations with the Americans, they bombed the negotiating table and stabbed diplomacy and negotiation in the back. This dark record of the Americans is evident before the eyes of the entire world," he said.

Before the February 28 aggression, Iran and the US were engaged in talks when Trump ordered the war. Even before the 12-day war in June last year, Tehran and Washington were holding talks when Israel launched a war on Iran, and later the US joined it.

Detailing how the Iranian armed forces utilized the ceasefire after the latest war, the Army spokesman said: "We did not waste the moments and days of the ceasefire. We tried to make use of every single moment during the ceasefire to optimize and rebuild our equipment, to procure and purchase new equipment that has now entered the combat organization of the army forces, and to build and take delivery of new equipment in the defense industry."

Highlighting the boost in military morale and tactical experience, General Akrami-Nia noted: "Spiritual and morale preparations have also, thank God, improved, backed by the experiences of the past two wars. The double self-confidence clearly visible today among the Air Force fighters and our dear comrades in the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran are all the assets and achievements of this war as well as the twelve-day war."

**Iranian missing pilots **

Over the past few days, Qatar has been openly accused of covering up the fate of Iranian pilots who carried out an operation against a US base in the country in the early days of the US-Israeli aggression on February 28.

Last week, Brigadier General Mohammad Bagherzadeh, from the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff, said three Iranian pilots were captured alive by Qatari forces after their Su-24 fighter jets went down during retaliatory strikes against the US base. Later, he called on Qatari authorities to grant access to a specialized delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) to investigate the status of the three Iranian fighter pilots after Qatar denied any knowledge.

According to the Iranian Army, a four-man Iranian strike team executed a successful operation against the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in early March, which houses American troops and military equipment. Two Su-24 tactical bombers of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force that carried out the operation were hit by enemy air fire. Of the four crew members, pilot Majid Kazemi was martyred during the incident.

Regarding the fate of the three other pilots, the Army spokesman called on Qatar to pursue the case more seriously.

He said despite the follow-ups conducted by the Army and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Qatari side has yet to clarify the status of these three pilots. "We have warned several times that Qatar must handle this matter responsibly and act with greater seriousness in clarifying the situation of these pilots, but to this day, their status remains unknown."

He noted that the Qataris claim that they have no information regarding the pilots' status, but there remains a possibility that they are still alive, while accusing the US of obstructionism in this regard. "Certainly, given the history of hostility and animosity that the Americans have harbored and continue to harbor toward the Iranian nation, they could also play a destructive and negative role in this matter."