Marandi warns of ‘different’ and ‘very painful’ response to US strikes (VIDEO)
Iran is preparing a more aggressive response to renewed US attacks, and could strike economic targets as well as military sites, University of Tehran professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi has told RT.
His warning comes after Washington and Tehran exchanged direct strikes for the first time since late July, reigniting hostilities following a month-long lull.
US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, claiming they were preparing to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the key waterway. Tehran said the attack had killed and wounded several soldiers and civilians and vowed retaliation.
Hours later, Iran launched missiles and drones at US military facilities in Jordan, claiming to have damaged both infrastructure and fighter jet positions.
Marandi described the renewed US strikes as a “grave miscalculation” on the part of Washington and stated that Tehran will not hold back after the deaths of its servicemen. He predicted that the Iranian response will be “different from what we’ve had before” and include strikes on both military and economic assets.
“The response is going to be very painful,” Marandi said, noting that it will likely have a significant impact on the US economy “in the weeks ahead,” possibly affecting the US midterm elections.
Marandi linked the shift to Washington’s simultaneous military and economic pressure on Tehran. The Trump administration last week announced what it called an “economic onslaught” against Iran, while oil prices jumped following the latest exchange of strikes.
Iranian officials have also promised a broader military response to further attacks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran is “not looking for war” but would deliver a “decisive response” to aggression, while the IRGC warned that “every attack will be met with even more devastating responses.”
Watch the full interview with Mohammad Marandi below.
