Even as discussions regarding ceasefire and negotiations go on, there is still no respite from attacks and counter-attacks in West Asia. Both Iran and Israel are engaged in direct military confrontations, featuring exchange of airstrikes, drone attacks and missile barrages. On March 25, 2026, Tehran claimed that President Donald John Trump reneged on his promise not to attack power generation facilities, stressing that the US forces targeted a power plant in Isfahan.

In such a scenario, the Islamic Republic has appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a former Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who had been serving as the Secretary of the Expediency Council, as the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. Zolghadr replaced Ali Ardashir Larijani who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on March 17, 2026.

According to political analysts, Larijani was a true insider of the regime who used to maintain close contacts with each and every centre of power. At the same time, his expertise in reaching understandings with foreign countries was also unquestionable. Hence, Zolghadr’s task would be a difficult one. As the influence of the IRGC and the hardliners is growing in Iran (especially after the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei on February 28, 2026), the newly-appointed Secretary of Supreme National Security Council would have to face difficulties in making decisions on various issues.

‘COME CLOSER!’
Admiral Ali Akbar Ahmadian, the Supreme Leader’s representative to Iran’s Defence Council, issued a provocative challenge to Washington DC on March 24, 2026, declaring that the Islamic Republic spent more than two decades preparing for an asymmetric war against the US. He also urged the US soldiers to advance toward Iranian territory.

Immediately after the Trump Administration announced the deployment of 3,000 troops of the vaunted 82nd Airborne to the Middle East, Admiral Ahmadian issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), mentioning: “For years, we have been waiting for the Americans to reach the designated points, and for more than two decades, we have trained for this moment with an asymmetric warfare strategy. Now, we have only one message for the American soldiers: Come closer.“

He stressed: “Iran has been preparing for this for decades, while Trump and his band of rapist morons did not even bother putting together a contingency plan for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Our demented paedophile President is stumbling dick-first into a nightmarish quagmire that will make the Iraq War look like a squabble between Boy Scout troops.”

The senior IRGC Commander further said: “There is absolutely no reason for any of this to happen. The US Congress needs to either remove President Trump with the 25th Amendment or pass a War Powers Resolution to stop this catastrophe before it can begin, ASAP!”

Iran Thanks Germany
Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister of Iran, has sharply criticised the selective application of international norms in a pointed post on X, while giving rare credit to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for condemning violations (of international law) against Iranians.

On X, the Foreign Minister wrote: “International law is dead in practice – driven by Western double standards on Gaza versus Ukraine and silence on Israel-US aggression on Iran. Still, credit to President Steinmeier for condemning the violations against Iranians. Those who value the Rule of Law should also speak up.”

Araghchi’s remarks came in direct response to Steinmeier’s speech in Berlin, as the German President labelled the ongoing joint US-Israeli military actions against Iran a clear breach of international law and a “politically disastrous mistake”. Steinmeier argued that the justification of an “imminent threat” from the Islamic Republic did not hold water and warned of a deep transatlantic rift, comparing it to Germany’s break with Russia over Ukraine. He stressed that “foreign policy loses credibility when breaches of international law are not openly called out”.

According to Araghchi, the Western responses were nothing, but hypocrisy. He mentioned: “Strong action and rhetoric on Ukraine contrasted with perceived silence or double standards on Gaza and now the strikes on Iran.” Despite his broader critique, the minister welcomed President Steinmeier’s stance as a principled exception, apart from underscoring Tehran’s ongoing diplomatic push to portray the US-Israeli campaign as unlawful aggression, even as the conflict continues to escalate with regional repercussions.

The German President’s comments, from his largely ceremonial position, stand in contrast to the more measured tone from other German and European officials, fuelling debate about consistency in applying international law across global conflicts. This exchange highlights deepening divisions in the international community over the legality and justification of the war on Iran.

NETANYAHU PLAYING VICTIM
The Turkish media have claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu has started playing the victim card following Iran’s retaliatory actions. Criticism has arisen considering that the attacks on Dimona and Arad were described as a response to the previous attack on Natanz, thus underestimating the root causes of the conflict.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has accused Iran of targeting civilian areas while appealing for support from the international community. “Over the past 48 hours, Iran has once again proven itself an enemy of civilisation and a threat to the free world. Iran has targeted civilian areas, and its intent is to kill civilians,” he stressed.

However, the Turkish media reports have noted that the statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister is inconsistent with Tel Aviv’s past military policies, which also had significant impacts on civilian areas.

‘TOUGH SPOT’
In a jaw-dropping reality check, General (Retired) James (Jim) Norman Mattis, a retired Marine Corps four-star general who had commanded the US forces in the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War, just blew the whistle on the chaos unfolding behind the reckless war in West Asia, stating that it is worse than anyone thought.

General (Retired) Mattis has reportedly said that the US is “in a tough spot” with “not a lot of options”. According to the former Defence Secretary of President Trump, this war has spiralled into a strategic nightmare with no clear path forward. Even more alarming, General (Retired) Mattis has warned that if the President abruptly ends the conflict now, it could hand control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical oil chokepoints on Earth, straight to Iran.

The result? A potential global economic chokehold, where Iran could effectively tax international shipping and send prices skyrocketing. So, let’s get this straight:

President Trump launched a massive military escalation with no clear objective. Now, he is pausing strikes after weeks of destruction. And his own former Pentagon chief is admitting that there is no positive outcome. That is not strength, but reckless improvisation with global consequences.

Meanwhile, oil prices have been swinging wildly, spiking near USD 120 a barrel before dropping again, leaving the American families and businesses stuck in the crossfire of President Trump’s erratic decision-making. And here’s the kicker: Even after all the bombs dropped, General (Retired) Mattis has said that it has not achieved any meaningful strategic gains. None. Because, as he bluntly put it, air power alone has never changed a regime. In other words, all this destruction – and for what? No victory. No stability. No plan. Just more uncertainty, higher costs and a world pushed closer to the brink.

According to General (Retired) Mattis, this is not leadership, but a dangerous gamble that is backfiring in real time. This is how President Trump’s own former senior military adviser is sounding the alarm.

With inputs from Occupy Democrats and Iranian Military.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das