US strategic power has turned into strategic defeat: Iran

Tehran [Iran], March 25 (ANI): A senior Iranian military official has dismissed Washington's recent diplomatic overtures as a facade, asserting that the global influence once wielded by the United States has effectively collapsed.
According to a report by Iran's state media, Press TV, Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, the spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, stated on Wednesday that the "strategic power" previously flaunted by the US has now "turned into a strategic defeat."
The military official's remarks follow a significant de-escalation by US President Donald Trump, who recently stepped back from a 48-hour ultimatum to launch strikes against Iranian power plants. This shift occurred after the Islamic Republic issued a stern warning that any such aggression would result in the reciprocal targeting of every energy and power installation across the region.
Addressing the change in the American stance, Zolfaqari remarked that "if the self-proclaimed superpower of the world could have escaped this predicament, it would have done so by now. Do not call your defeat an agreement," he said.
His comments appear to be a direct rebuttal to President Trump's claims on his Truth Social platform, where the US leader suggested that both nations had engaged in "very good and constructive conversations over the past two days regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in [West Asia]."
However, Press TV cited an informed source within Tehran who flatly contradicted the American narrative, clarifying on Monday that no official communication has taken place between the two capitals.
Zolfaqari echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the era of relying on Washington's word has passed. "The era of your promises is over. Today, there are only two fronts in the world: truth and falsehood. And every freedom-seeking pursuer of truth will not be deceived by your media waves," he added.
The spokesperson further mocked the perceived internal chaos within the US administration, sarcastically questioning if the "level of your infighting reached the point of negotiating with yourselves?" This rhetoric highlights the deep-seated skepticism in Tehran regarding the current American diplomatic strategy.
Turning to the economic future of the region, Press TV reported that Zolfaqari delivered a grim assessment for Western interests, asserting that neither previous levels of US investments nor former energy and oil prices would ever return.
He maintained that regional security is now dictated by Tehran's military capabilities, stating that "stability in the region is ensured by the powerful hand of our armed forces," and further defining the situation as "stability through [our] power."
The spokesperson made it clear that there would be no return to the previous status quo. He insisted that such a possibility is off the table unless "the very thought of taking [military] action against the Iranian nation is completely erased from your vile minds."
As noted by Press TV, Zolfaqari reaffirmed Iran's uncompromising position, declaring that "our first and last word from day one has been, is, and will be: someone like us will not come to terms with someone like you--not now, and not ever." (ANI)