Tehran [Iran], September 21 : Iran’s military leaders warned on Monday that foreign aggressors will face "more defeats" if they challenge the country, claiming Iran has already forced the US and Israel to submit and taken direct control of strategic maritime trade routes in the region.
In a joint statement released by the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters to commemorate the annual Sacred Defence Week marking the start of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, and carried by ISNA, the military leadership reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the nation's borders and strategic interests against external threats, specifically referencing the United States and Israel.
"All the warriors of Islam in the army, the IRGC, the Ministry of Defence, the Faraj and Basij, and the border guards of the country, will not back down in protecting the national interests, the rights of the nation, and the territorial integrity of our beloved Iran against the enemy and will taste the bitter taste of further defeats on the aggressors and ill-wishers of the Iranian nation, especially the American, Zionist enemies and their allies," the statement read. 
According to ISNA, the joint statement highlighted the country's defence capabilities and strategic positioning in West Asia, noting that lessons learned from historical conflicts have strengthened national self-reliance and regional deterrence.
It pointed directly to recent military operations, claiming Iran defeated both American and Israeli forces in past conflicts.
"In the current situation, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, relying on God Almighty, the support of the heroic people, indigenous knowledge, and strategic self-reliance in defence industries and modern military technologies, have changed the security equations in favor of the Islamic Ummah," the statement continued.
"The valuable lessons and experiences of the eight years of sacred defense led the process of maturation... towards a 'strong Iran,'" the statement said, adding that these advancements caused "arrogant America and the criminal and child-killing Zionist regime to kneel and bow" in recent confrontations like the Twelve-Day War.
According to ISNA, the statement explicitly highlighted Iran’s operational reach over the critical maritime chokehold of the Strait of Hormuz and its military impact on foreign security interests in the Middle East.
"In the current situation, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, relying on God Almighty, the support of the heroic people, indigenous knowledge, and strategic self-reliance in defense industries and modern military technologies, have changed the security equations in favor of the Islamic Ummah and the noble nation of Iran by inflicting heavy damage on the military-security infrastructure and strategic interests of the United States and the fake Zionist regime in West Asia; a clear example of which is the taking over of the management of the Strait of Hormuz through Iranian arrangements, the collapse of the puppet hegemony of the declining, Hollywood-based, and terrorist army of the criminal America, and the humiliation of the child-killing Zionist army," the statement read. 
Furthermore, the military leadership emphasised Iran's defence readiness and reflected on the legacy of the eight-year Iran-Iraq War.
"The 31st of September, in the brilliant history of the Islamic Revolution, is a reminder of a great epic. A moment when the resilient Iranian nation, relying on firm faith and unity of word, created an impenetrable barrier against the military aggression of the Baathist enemies during the eight years of sacred defense,"  ISNA quoted the statement as saying.
The latest confrontation comes after renewed regional instability following Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. The US has subsequently issued security warnings to Americans across several countries in West Asia, citing the possibility of rapid escalation, flight disruptions and attacks on US interests.