Iran is prepared for a possible ground operation by the United States. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on March 5 that it would be a "huge disaster" for the US military if the situation escalated to that point. According to Axios, a number of Kurdish armed groups will participate in an offensive against Iran with the support of US and Israeli intelligence agencies. President Trump has promised them "broad air cover".

"We Are Waiting"

Zarif told NBC News that Iran expects the US might launch a ground invasion, but this would bring disastrous consequences for the US side.

When asked whether Tehran was worried about a potential US ground operation, he answered, "No, we are waiting for them (the US military)... because we believe we can resist them, and it will be a huge disaster for them."

Zarif emphasized, "There will be no winner in this war," but Iran's victory lies in "being able to withstand the resistance." He said, "This is exactly what we have been doing all along."

The diplomat also pointed out that the attack on Iran occurred during ongoing nuclear agreement negotiations. Therefore, Tehran sees no reason to resume talks with those who are "dishonest in negotiations and untrustworthy in their behavior." He also emphasized that Iran did not request a ceasefire.

The minister added that Tehran is currently "not temporarily" closing the Strait of Hormuz, but "as the war continues," it will consider "all possible options." He also said that Russia and China support Iran politically and in other aspects.

On the social platform X, Zarif wrote that Trump's "clean and quick military victory" A plan has failed, and the B plan "will face even greater failure."

"Pawns"

According to Axios, under the support of the CIA and Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, several Kurdish armed groups will participate in an offensive against Iran, which have "thousands of soldiers." The article pointed out that an attack from the Kurdish direction could increase pressure on Tehran and trigger a broader uprising within Iran.

An Israeli official told the media, "The problem is that the Kurdish factions inside Iran are not strong enough militarily and will eventually become pawns."

According to The Washington Post, Trump proposed in phone calls with leaders of the Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish minorities that the US would provide "broad air cover" and other support to seize western regions of Iran. Israel also pledged military aid and political support for establishing a Kurdish autonomous region in Iran in the future.

Meanwhile, Nechirvan Barzani (head of the Iraqi Kurdish region) assured Zarif that the regional forces would not participate in armed conflict. According to Shafaq News portal, both political figures opposed any attempt to destabilize the situation.

Barzani stated that the Iraqi Kurdish region would support diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions and preventing a full-scale war in the Middle East.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani emphasized that Tehran intends to embarrass "despicable" Americans.

He wrote on X platform: "Some American officials have said they intend to enter Iran from the land. The brave descendants of Imam Khomeini and Imam Khamenei are waiting for you, and they will humiliate these despicable American officials with thousands of casualties and prisoners."

Will the US Launch a Ground War?

Previously, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US does not rule out the possibility of a ground operation against Iran in theory, but there is no such plan at present.

Russian political scholar and US expert Malik Dudakov believes that Trump and his administration's claim of not ruling out any option, including a ground operation, is more of a political rhetoric and a means of pressuring Iran.

He told the Russian newspaper Moskovskiy Komsomolec: "It is impossible for the US to launch a ground military operation in Iran. The US does not have enough ground forces in the Middle East to carry out such an operation."

Dudakov pointed out that the US can only try to push for a "regime change" through aerial strikes and proxy forces. In his view, this is a typical "Obama-style strategy," now being implemented by Trump.

Nikolai Sorokin, director of the Russian Institute of State Crisis, a military and political expert, told "Ukraine Net" that Iran has great mobilization potential. He believes that up to 20 million Iranian men could take up arms.

Sorokin said: "They would cause huge losses to any expeditionary force entering Iranian territory. In addition to expeditionary forces, since the Vietnam War, the US has not sent real large-scale troops anywhere, and it is unlikely to risk doing so now."

Original: toutiao.com/article/7613934260864565770/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.