Iran’s Leader Advocates Strategic Patience After Kerman Attacks
Amid the grim backdrop of the Kerman terrorist strike, Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, urged commanders to steer clear of direct military clashes with the United States. He instructed that retaliation should stay confined to actions against Israel and to attacks by proxy groups targeting American bases. This directive was reported by The New York Times.
The published account notes that Khamenei pressed for what he described as strategic patience, emphasizing the avoidance of a direct war with the United States at all costs. He signaled that Iran should respond through covert operations and by directing proxy forces rather than engaging in overt military confrontations.
According to the report, the supreme leader framed the attacks on Iran and Lebanon as elements of a broader Israeli campaign. The guidance, as described, stresses measured responses that do not escalate into full-scale hostilities with the United States.
Earlier, officials with the White House attributed the blasts to incidents that occurred during the funeral in Kerman honoring the late General Qasem Soleimani. The administration referenced the actions of the terrorist network tied to the Islamic State as part of the broader regional tension.
There have been prior US accusations that Iran was preparing for potential attacks by Yemen’s Houthis against commercial ships in the Red Sea, adding to the surrounding tensions and the fragile security dynamics in the region. The evolving sequence of events continues to shape regional security assessments and diplomatic communications between Tehran and Washington.