Defiant Iran vows to fight ‘until complete victory,’ despite heavy military losses

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An Iranian military spokesman defiantly vowed Tuesday thatTehran’s armed forces will fight“until complete victory,” despite suffering heavy losses from the joint U.S.and Israeli campaign.

The remark from Maj.Gen.Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, which is Iran’s top military command, comes after President Donald Trumppaused planned U.S.strikes on Iranon Monday, citing diplomatic progress.

“Iran’s powerful armed forces are proud, victorious and steadfast in defending Iran’s integrity, and this path will continue until complete victory,” Iranian state television quoted Aliabadi as saying, according to The Associated Press.It added that Aliabadi did not say what “complete victory” would look like.

Operation Epic Fury, which started Feb.28, has resulted in the destruction of or damage to more than 140 Iranian naval vessels, U.S.Central Command said Monday.In total, more than 9,000 combat flights have been conducted as part of the campaign.

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U.S.forces struck 16 mine-laying Iranian ships on March 10, according to CENTCOM.(U.S.Central Command/X)

“CENTCOM forces are striking targets to dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus, prioritizing locations that pose an imminent threat,”CENTCOM said.

Targeted assets include Iranian Navy ships and submarines, air defense systems, anti-ship missile sites, military communication infrastructure and facilities involved in ballistic missile and drone manufacturing.

On Friday, Trump,speaking about Iran,said, “Their Navy’s gone, their Air Force is gone, their anti-aircraft is all gone.”

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Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei seated beside the Iranian flag during an address.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at the beginning of Operation Epic Fury.( Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran via Getty Images)

“Their leaders are all gone.The next set of leaders are all gone.And the next set of leaders are mostly gone,” Trump continued.“And now, nobody wants to be a leader over there anymore. We’re having a hard time.We want to talk to them and there’s nobody to talk to.”

Trump also said that, “Over the past few weeks, the world has seen the true strength and might of our sailors and aviators as they fought in one of the most complex and successful military operations of all time against the Iranian regime.”

U.S. sailor signals helicopter launch on USS Gerald R. Ford.

A U.S.sailor signals the launch of an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R.Ford while supporting Operation Epic Fury at sea on Feb.28.(U.S.Navy via Getty Images)

“And it’s amazing… I don’t want to get too crazy here, not a contest. It’s not even a contest.They do whatever they want,” Trump said.

�s Emma Bussey, Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.