"We Are Ready": Larijani Defies Warnings of US-Israel Military Superiority

In a high-stakes exchange on CBS’s Face the Nation, Ali Larijani, the man recently tasked by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to lead Iran’s national security response, issued a defiant warning to the West: Iran is not only prepared for a military confrontation but believes it holds a strategic advantage.

The interview comes at a critical juncture for the Islamic Republic. Following the "12-Day War" in June 2025, which saw the United States and Israel decimate significant portions of Iran’s air defense systems and strike key nuclear facilities, Larijani was pressed on how the regime expects to survive a renewed conflict with a shattered economy and a compromised military.

Larijani dismissed the interviewer’s characterization of a defeated Iranian military. While acknowledging that Iran faced "problems" with its air defenses during the 2025 conflict, he argued that the impact was mutual.

"The Israelis also had problems with their air defense, and our missiles were able to hit targets inside Israel," Larijani stated. He went on to frame the conclusion of the 2025 war as a failure of Israeli defense rather than a victory, claiming that Israel was forced to seek an "unconditional ceasefire" because they could not stop the Iranian barrage.

When challenged with the reality of Israel’s undisputed air superiority over Iranian territory, Larijani countered with Tehran’s primary deterrent: its ballistic missile program.

"Our missiles also have superiority over the space of Israel," Larijani claimed. "They hit their targets in a very exact way, and they can do it again."

Larijani asserted that the Iranian military has spent the months following the 2025 conflict addressing weaknesses and is now in a "better situation" and a "more powerful position" than before. "We know how to defend ourselves... and we are fully prepared to repeat that if necessary," he added.

The interview highlights the deepening divide between the United States' "maximum pressure" tactics and Tehran’s "maximum defiance" strategy. Despite the loss of key proxies like Hezbollah’s top leadership and the internal unrest that followed the January protests, where tens of thousands of demonstrators were killed, the Iranian leadership appears to be doubling down on a military solution to ensure its survival.

With U.S. forces in the region reaching peak readiness and additional carrier strike groups positioned in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf, Larijani’s comments signal that the window for a diplomatic resolution may be closing.