In an exclusive interview with Al-Manar TV on Thursday evening, Major General Rezaei addressed issues concerning the Strait of Hormuz and developments in the confrontations in Lebanon and the broader region.
On the Strait of Hormuz, Rezaei said part of the corridor lies in Iran’s waters, while the other part lies in Omani waters, adding that the two sides jointly manage the entry and exit process. He said that this has been determined, and the location of the corridor is clearly defined. “So, if the Americans implement our conditions and act accordingly, and the Strait of Hormuz is reopened following their compliance, ships will pass through this new route—a new route located in the middle of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
Rezaei linked its full reopening to Washington’s implementation of Iranian conditions, foremost among them working to end the wars in West Asia, particularly in Lebanon and Gaza.
He said Iran had prepared a list of conditions to present to the Americans and had, for the time being, allowed a temporary and limited corridor for ships to pass through the center of the strait, with the future of maritime traffic to depend on developments in understandings with Washington.
He stressed that the Hormuz issue could not be separated from the broader regional conflict, saying the United States must “prove its seriousness” in implementing the required commitments before any new trust could be established, amid a “deep chasm of mistrust” between the two sides.
Rezaei also addressed relations with Türkiye, emphasizing the depth of trade ties between the two countries and ruling out the possibility of Ankara imposing economic pressure on Tehran. He recalled Türkiye’s role as a trade corridor for Iran during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.
Rezaei issued a direct threat against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying: “We will send him to hell, and we will prove that his grave mistakes have brought the end of the Israeli entity closer.” He said a “great and sacred anger” was building across the Muslim world against the entity, which he said would one day emerge and translate into action, adding that “it will be different from before.”
Rezaei issued a series of firm positions on the United States and Israeli regime, saying Iran does not seek war but is preparing for a new phase should the confrontation resume, stressing that any future war would be “different” from previous ones.
He said Iran had approached the various stages of the war incrementally, initially refraining from targeting US bases in the Persian Gulf states before subsequently expanding the scope of its responses to include US sites and bases in other countries. He said this gradual approach was intended to increasingly take humanitarian considerations into account, ensure that Iran’s victories had supporters across the region and the world, and give those victories a higher degree of legitimacy.
Rezaei said the shift by the United States toward economic pressure reflected, in his view, the limited effectiveness of military force alone, warning that Tehran would respond to any economic escalation with countermeasures targeting US economic interests in the region.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Rezaei paid tribute to the Lebanese people across all sects and segments of society, commemorated the martyrs of Lebanon and Hezbollah, and praised Lebanese unity in confronting the Israeli regime.
He also expressed particular appreciation for Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, saying he had successfully led the resistance during the current phase, and for Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, praising his role in Lebanon’s political arena.
Major General Rezaei said Iran’s conditions for any understanding with the United States include an end to the war across the various arenas of West Asia, particularly Lebanon, the withdrawal of the Israeli regime from Lebanese territory it has seized, an end to the war in the Gaza Strip, and a halt to Israeli attacks on Syria.
He said the region had become “an interconnected chain,” in which any deterioration in one country’s security raises investment costs and undermines development prospects elsewhere.
He described Iran’s relationship with Lebanon as “historic and deeply rooted,” pointing to ties forged centuries ago between scholars from Jabal Amel and Iran, and said Tehran would continue supporting Lebanon with all the capabilities at its disposal.
On the military situation, Rezaei said that the Israeli regime was no longer capable of advancing toward Beirut or its southern suburbs, citing the losses Hezbollah had inflicted on the Israeli regime over the past three or four months, as well as the full impact of the “Iranian threat.”
He said the southern suburbs and Beirut constituted a “red line” for Iran, stressing that Tehran was monitoring developments “with the utmost seriousness” and that the Israeli regime would ultimately be forced to withdraw from the Lebanese territory it had entered.
Rezaei attributed this assessment to the fact that “Lebanon’s terrain is resistant to control and occupation.” He argued that controlling Lebanese territory and besieging the resistance forces operating there was not possible, comparing the situation with Gaza, where he said that the Israeli regime, despite its blockade, had failed to achieve its objectives decisively.
On Syria, Rezaei ruled out the possibility of Damascus entering the confrontation in Lebanon, saying the Syrian government faced multiple challenges. He pointed to continued Israeli attacks on Damascus and its surrounding areas as having diminished the prospects for such an alignment, and said that the Syrian government had reached the conclusion that “Israel has trampled on all agreements.”
Rezaei also stressed that Iran does not interfere in Hezbollah’s military structure or battlefield decisions, saying the group now has military cadres capable of managing its affairs and making its own decisions, particularly with the emergence of two new generations of young leaders.
Concluding the interview, Rezaei said Iran supports any project aimed at Islamic unity, provided it is “inclusive” and gives the region’s principal states an equal role.
He said Iran and Egypt should be founding members of any comprehensive framework, rather than merely two states joining arrangements prepared in advance.
Rezaei also conveyed his greetings to the Lebanese people, saying they were “present deep in our hearts” and that the Iranian people “recognize no borders or distance between themselves and the Lebanese people.”
He affirmed that the Islamic Republic, in cooperation with Muslim countries, would seek to compensate for the damage and rebuild destroyed homes, concluding: “They will be rebuilt, God willing.”
