Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Mousavi, announced on February 7 that the country’s air force has been placed in a “highest state of readiness,” coordinated with other service branches and prepared to respond firmly to any threats or acts of aggression. The declaration, made on Iran’s Air Force Day and carried by the Tasnim news agency via Xinhua, framed the posture as a defensive stance that accentuates deterrence and the protection of national security and territorial integrity.
Mousavi emphasized that while Iran will not initiate war, it will not hesitate to defend its core interests, warning that any adventurism by adversaries would end in strategic failure and would risk widening conflict across the region. He suggested that attackers and their backers would pay heavy and irreversible costs should they attempt to challenge Iran’s sovereignty or security, language intended for both domestic and foreign audiences.
The announcement should be read against a backdrop of sustained regional tensions. Tehran faces simmering conflicts with Israel and persistent friction with the United States, alongside ongoing competition with Gulf states and proxy dynamics across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Over the past years Iran has expanded its aerial toolkit—investing in drones, missiles, air-defence systems and limited conventional upgrades—so declarations about air force readiness have both symbolic and operational resonance for rival capitals monitoring the airspace and maritime routes of the Persian Gulf.
The immediate practical impact of the statement depends on follow-on actions. A readiness posture by itself is a low-cost signal of deterrence, intended to shape adversaries’ calculations without crossing thresholds that invite retaliation. Nevertheless, repeated public alerts elevate the risk of miscalculation: heightened patrols, intercepts, or accidental engagements can cascade into broader crises. For foreign governments and commercial actors in the region, the announcement is a reminder to recalibrate contingency planning and diplomatic messaging to avoid escalation while testing Iran’s red lines.