Iran Warns US: Will Become "Another Vietnam" if Ground War Erupts
Iran has issued a fresh warning to the United States. The US is said to face “another Vietnam” if it deploys ground forces in the conflict.
This refers to the Vietnam War of 1975, in which the US deployed its troops there. Rather than winning, the US is considered to have lost due to fierce resistance in Saigon at the time, coupled with difficult terrain and public opposition to the war within America.
“Just look at what happened in Vietnam,” said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh in an interview with Sky News published on Monday.
American forces, he asserted, could face a similar outcome in Iran. Moreover, he added, Iran is prepared to continue fighting for as long as necessary and is not focused on seeking diplomatic solutions.
“They (the US) understand that those who drag themselves into this war can also drag themselves into a quagmire,” he added.
In fact, the senior Iranian diplomat did not rule out the possibility of negotiations, but said it was up to America and its allies to put forward proposals that would end the conflict definitively. Khatibzadeh also pointed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as having dragged the US into the war.
“They must think twice when dealing with Iran and not take advice from those who do not know Iran (Israel), who for several decades have wanted to win a war against Iran with US taxpayer money and the blood of American soldiers,” he said.
“Netanyahu and the Israeli regime have their own agenda to make this war a victory for them at the expense of everyone,” he added.
Since Israel and the US launched a joint strike against Iran on 28 February, which has killed approximately 1,300 people to date, including the then Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states that host US military assets.
Earlier this month, Mojtaba Khamenei was announced as the successor to his father, Ali Khamenei. On the same occasion, Khatibzadeh stated that Mojtaba Khamenei is “in good health and in control” despite not yet having appeared in public.