Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphatically rejected calls for a ceasefire on Wednesday and warned that any US attempt at a ground invasion would result in "a big disaster for them," in his most extensive public comments since the conflict began.
Speaking to CNBC in an exclusive interview, Araghchi struck a defiant tone, insisting that Iran would not seek to de-escalate the confrontation. "We are not asking for a ceasefire," the foreign minister stated. "We are confident in our ability to defend our territory and our people."
The remarks came as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged in classified congressional briefings that the Pentagon is war-gaming potential ground operation scenarios, though no decision has been made to deploy troops beyond special operations forces already active in the region.
Araghchi dismissed the prospect of a successful American invasion, pointing to the US experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq. "They should learn from their past mistakes," he said. "Iran is not Iraq in 2003. We have prepared for this scenario for decades."
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. Iran's military doctrine has been built around the assumption of eventual conflict with the United States since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has spent years developing asymmetric warfare capabilities designed to make any invasion prohibitively costly.


