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Iran is reportedly taking measures to prepare for a potential U.S. ground assault, as well as to counter possible diversionary and disruptive operations in Tehran and other major cities, according to a media report.
According to The Medialine, citing “a well-placed source,” a newly issued directive outlines measures to prepare for a possible U.S. ground attack and potential operations in the capital and other major cities, particularly in the south and northwest of the country.
The report said the directive was circulated by bodies operating under Iran’s General Staff of the Armed Forces and aligned with decisions of the commander-in-chief and key institutions, including the Supreme Defense Council and the Supreme National Security Council. The directive was disseminated to various military and security units.
According to the report, the units were instructed to ensure readiness, secure sensitive areas, establish necessary deployments, and prepare for the possible “intervention of hostile field elements across different regions.”
They were also authorized, if necessary, to engage independently, even without direct orders from central command.
The developments come amid reports about possible U.S. ground operations in Iran as thousands of U.S. troops deploy to the Middle East, pending a decision by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Pentagon is preparing for weeks of potential ground operations in Iran, according to a report by The Washington Post on Saturday.
Officials said the plans could mark “a new phase of the war” that may be “significantly more dangerous” for U.S. forces than the first four weeks of fighting.
Any ground mission would fall short of a full-scale invasion and could involve raids by Special Operations forces and conventional infantry, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
They said the operations could expose troops to “drones and missiles, ground fire and improvised explosives.”
“It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality,” the newspaper quoted White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt as saying. “It does not mean the President has made a decision.”
Discussions have included potential operations targeting Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export hub, and coastal raids near the Strait of Hormuz to neutralize threats to shipping.
Officials said possible missions could last “weeks, not months,” while others estimated the operations could last “a couple of months.”
Trump previously said, “I’m not putting troops anywhere,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the conflict “is not going to be a prolonged conflict” and could achieve objectives “without ground troops.”
Officials said 13 U.S. troops have been killed and over 300 wounded in attacks across the region since the war began in late February.
Public opinion remains divided, with a poll showing 62% oppose deploying ground troops to Iran, while 12% support the measure.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf accused the United States on Sunday of pursuing a 15-point plan to achieve its war goals after failing to achieve them by military force, warning that any ground attack on Iran would face a “decisive” response.
Writing on Telegram, Qalibaf said the United States was “openly calling for negotiations while secretly planning a ground attack.”
He said Iran was prepared for any ground operation by U.S. forces and vowed a “decisive response” to any such attack.
“These days, different words and statements are heard from enemy officials about negotiations. America is expressing its desires and declaring what it has not achieved in war as a 15-point list and seeking it in diplomacy,” he said.
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Iran on Wednesday rejected a 15-point U.S. plan to end the war, saying any ceasefire would take place only on Tehran’s terms and timeline.
State television, citing an Iranian official, said Iran outlined five conditions for ending the war, including a complete halt to “aggression and assassinations.”
The United States and Israel have maintained airstrikes on Iran since Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
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