In a rare interview with PBS News Hour, Brig.-Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, a top adviser to Iran's IRGC, stated that the US military is "weaker than what we perceived" after fighting since February. Naqdi claimed that Iran has gained experience in combat and has not reached its "final objective", despite an interim deal with the US aimed at ending the conflict expiring on Monday. The comments come as negotiations between the two countries continue to stall, with Pakistan attempting to mediate a resolution. Thousands of people have been killed in the conflict, mainly in Iran and Lebanon.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-14,
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Story summary
In a rare interview, Brig.-Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, the supreme adviser to IRGC's commander-in-chief, stated that Iran has found the US military to be weaker than initially thought since the US and Israel launched their attack on Iran in February of this year. This assessment comes as talks to end the fighting continue to stall. Despite an interim deal reached in mid-June, which is set to expire on Monday, Naqdi said that Iran has not yet achieved its "final objective" and is still victorious in the war. He added that with each passing day, Iranian forces gain more experience, which will contribute to their future successes. The comments come after a recent surge in violence between the US and Iran, including over two weeks of exchanged strikes before a temporary pause. The Strait of Hormuz remains shut, indicating ongoing tensions in the region.
Written for “Iran Military Threats” on 2026-08-31,
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Leaning score +0.35 for article 713 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-27
Top adviser to Iran's IRGC says U.S. military is 'weaker than what we perceived' in rare interview
No progress on reviving interim peace deal reached in June as Strait of Hormuz remains shut
A top adviser to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says Iranian officials have seen "how the American military is weaker than what we perceived" since the United States and Israel first launched their attack on Iran in February of this year, as talks to end the fighting continue to stall.
In a rare IRGC interview with Western media
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talks → say → media
, Brig.-Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi told PBS News Hour in an interview aired Tuesday that Iran has not reached their "final objective" when asked if they have won the war.
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they → tell → war
In the future, we will continue to be victorious," said Naqdi, who is supreme adviser to IRGC's commander-in-chief.
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who → continue → chief
An interim deal between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the fighting had been reached in mid-June and is set to expire Monday.
Naqdi's comments come weeks after the ceasefire collapsed and the U.S. and Iran exchanged strikes for more than two weeks before pausing.
"The longer this war lasts, the more experience we gain.
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we → aim → experience
We had never seen a real war to gain real experience to learn how to fight with America," Naqdi told PBS.
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Naqdi → see → PBS
"In these five months, we have learned how."
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we → learn → months
"We have also seen how the American military is weaker than what we perceived."
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that the U.S. is in "total control" of the Strait of Hormuz.
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U.S. → see → Hormuz
"I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!
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WE → think → IT
Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, 'A WALL OF STEEL,' and there is nothing Iran can do about it," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
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Trump → call → platform
Since the war in the Persian Gulf began when the U.S. and Israel launched a massive co-ordinated military campaign against Iran on Feb. 28, Trump has alternated between threats of escalation and claims that a peace deal is imminent.
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deal → begin → escalation
Pakistan continues efforts to resume negotiations
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam in Islamabad on Wednesday, attempting to resume peace negotiations between Iran and the U.S.
Their meeting came a day after Pakistan sent Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to Tehran for talks with Iran's top leaders.
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Pakistan → continue → leaders
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters Wednesday the June deal remains valid and the deadline could be extended.
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deadline → tell → reporters
"We are not closing the chapter," Andrabi said.
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Andrabi → close → chapter
Talks have bogged down over Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil supplies passed before the war.
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fifth → bogge → war
The U.S. accuses Iran of failing to honour an agreement under the deal to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route.
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U.S. → accuse → route
Tehran says Washington has reneged on its commitments, including lifting a blockade of Iranian ports and releasing frozen Iranian assets.
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Washington → say → assets
Thousands of people have been killed in the conflict, mainly in Iran and Lebanon.
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Thousands → kill → Iran
Iran has struck U.S. assets and infrastructure in countries including Oman, Jordan, Kuwait, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
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Iran → strike → Oman
Trump says Secret Service wanted him on 'different plane' for NATO trip due to security concerns
Houthi attack on small cargo ship in Red Sea kills 6, Yemeni authorities say
Trump says Iran should pay compensation, including for past actions
The June interim ceasefire agreement set a 60-day period, extendable by mutual consent, within which Iran and the U.S. were expected to reach a final deal limiting Tehran's nuclear program and lifting U.S. sanctions.
Both Iran and the U.S. have stepped up rhetoric in the past two days.
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Iran → say → days
Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, said on Tuesday the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless the U.S. accepted Iran's conditions to end the war.
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U.S. → say → war
That followed a new demand from Trump on Monday that Iran should pay compensation for people killed in 50 years of wars, attacks and protests.
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Iran → follow → wars
