Iranian General Says War Could Be Prolonged Until Trump Leaves Office

Iranian General Says War Could Be Prolonged Until Trump Leaves Office

A senior adviser to the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has suggested that Iran could deliberately prolong its conflict with the United States until President Donald Trump leaves office, potentially extending the confrontation into 2029.

Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi made the remarks during a rare interview with PBS NewsHour, where he was asked directly whether Iran’s objective could be to drag out the conflict and wait for Trump’s presidency to end.

Naqdi responded that Iran’s broader objective was to establish sufficient deterrence to prevent the country from being attacked again.

“One way is to prolong this war until we get to the next term of the presidency and cause attrition,” Naqdi said, adding that future adversaries should understand there is a cost associated with attacking Iran.

Trump’s current presidential term is scheduled to end on January 20, 2029, meaning such a strategy could potentially involve sustaining the confrontation for more than two additional years.

Naqdi also argued that the months of conflict had provided Iranian forces with valuable experience in confronting the United States directly. He claimed Iran had learned how to fight the US and was becoming more experienced as the conflict continued.

According to Naqdi, prolonging the confrontation could form part of a war-of-attrition strategy designed to impose continuing military and economic costs on Iran’s adversaries while strengthening Tehran’s ability to deter another attack.

His comments come amid continued uncertainty over efforts to bring the wider confrontation to an end. Recent negotiations have faced significant obstacles, while tensions surrounding shipping routes and the Strait of Hormuz remain major points of contention between Washington and Tehran.

The comments, however, should not be interpreted as a formal declaration that Iran has decided the war will continue until 2029.

Naqdi described prolonging the conflict as one possible strategy for achieving Iran’s objectives. His remarks therefore represent the position expressed by a senior IRGC adviser rather than an announcement establishing a fixed timetable for the war.

Still, the statement provides a significant indication of thinking among influential figures within Iran’s security establishment: Tehran may believe time itself can be used as a strategic weapon, with a prolonged conflict imposing costs on Washington while Iran attempts to strengthen its deterrence.

Naqdi’s comments also contrast sharply with repeated expectations that the confrontation could be brought to a relatively quick conclusion. Earlier ceasefire arrangements and subsequent negotiations have so far failed to produce a lasting settlement.

For now, there is no certainty that the conflict will continue until Trump leaves the White House. But Naqdi has made clear that, from his perspective, extending the confrontation into the next US presidential term remains an option Iran could consider as part of a longer-term strategy against the United States.