Top Iranian advisor says there is ‘no ceasefire’ with Israel, fighting could resume ‘at any moment’

A senior military advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that a renewed war with Israel could resume “at any moment.” 

According to the Iranian regime-affiliated news site Islamic Republic News Agency, on Sunday, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said that Iran is technically still at war with Israel. 

“At present, we are not in a ceasefire; we are in a stage of war,” Safavi said, “and at any moment the fighting may resume.” 

The military advisor also noted that there is no written ceasefire agreement between the sides. 

“No protocol, regulation, or agreement has been written between us and the US or Israel.” 

Safavi gave his assessment that another war could break out. 

“I estimate that another war may break out, and after that war, perhaps there will be no more wars,” Safavi stated. “That is a possibility.” 

Saying that it is the job of military men to “construct scenarios,” Safavi said that Iran “must be strong.” 

“The Americans and the Zionists say: We can create peace quickly through force,” Safavi noted. “Iran, too, must be strong – both in the region and on a global scale.” 

Safavi called for developing a more comprehensive offensive strategy for the Iranian forces. 

“We must turn our offensive system into an offensive strategy,” Safavi stated, saying Iran needs to develop a “diplomatic offense, media offense, cyber offense, missiles, drones.” 

“We, the military men, say: If you want peace – prepare for war,” he noted. “The best defense is a good offense.” 

Safavi’s specific mention of missile and drone forces highlights a key component of Iran’s strategy against Israel and other Western nations. Iran has been heavily dependent on the two tools as part of its force projection strategy, along with its use of proxy forces. 

Iran’s ballistic missile program was a primary target of Israel’s strikes on Iran during the 12-day Operation Rising Lion. Iran launched over 100 ballistic missiles at Israel throughout the conflict. Israel has also said that Iran’s ballistic missile program should be a part of any future negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program. 

Recently, Amir Hayat-Moqaddam, a member of Iran’s parliament, bragged about the Islamic Republic’s missile program, saying the country’s missiles could reach Europe and possibly even the United States. 

“All European countries are in our range,” Hayat-Moqaddam told Iranian media on Sunday. “With our existing missiles we can strike France, Germany, the UK, and all of Western and Eastern Europe.” 

“Perhaps our next missile will hit Washington directly. We can target America from the sea,” he continued. 

He said the IRGC has been working on a ship launched ballistic missile for 20 years, saying, “Even if we have not yet reached this technology, it remains within our grasp.” 

IRGC Brigadier General Ali Fadavi, speaking at an event in the city of Zanjan on Monday, claimed that Israel and the U.S. “suffered a miscalculation” during the 12-day Operation Rising Lion war with Iran. 

Brig. Gen. Fadavi said that “the Zionist enemy and the US entered the war with their full power, but they suffered a miscalculation as they were certain of success, which did not happen.” 

Although Israeli officials have not publicly focused much on Iran in recent weeks, in response to the publication of a list of Israeli leaders slated for elimination in a renewal of hostilities, Katz warned last week that Khamenei should “look up to the sky and listen carefully” for the buzz of Israeli drones. 

“Iran publishes list of senior Israeli political and security officials targeted for elimination,” Katz wrote on 𝕏. 

איראן מפרסמת את רשימת הבכירים בצמרת המדינית ביטחונית בישראל המיועדים לחיסול.
אני מציע לדיקטטור האיראני חמינאי שכשהוא יוצא מהבונקר שירים מידי פעם מבט לשמיים ויקשיב טוב לכל זמזום.
משתתפי "חתונה אדומה" מחכים לו שם. pic.twitter.com/Ojf8Km5Iay

— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) August 11, 2025

“I suggest to Iranian dictator Khamenei that when he comes out of the bunker, he should occasionally look up at the sky and listen carefully to every buzzing,” Katz continued. “The ‘Red Wedding’ participants are waiting for him there.”