Defiant Iran vows to fight 'until complete victory,' despite heavy military losses

An Iranian subject spokesperson defiantly vowed Tuesday that Tehran’s equipped forces will fight "until complete victory," contempt suffering dense losses from nan associated U.S. and Israeli campaign. 

The remark from Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of nan Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, which is Iran’s apical subject command, comes aft President Donald Trump paused planned U.S. strikes connected Iran connected Monday, citing negotiated progress. 

"Iran’s powerful equipped forces are proud, victorious and patient successful defending Iran’s integrity, and this way will proceed until complete victory," Iranian authorities tv quoted Aliabadi arsenic saying, according to The Associated Press. It added that Aliabadi did not opportunity what "complete victory" would look like. 

Operation Epic Fury, which started Feb. 28, has resulted successful nan demolition of aliases harm to much than 140 Iranian naval vessels, U.S. Central Command said Monday. In total, much than 9,000 combat flights person been conducted arsenic portion of nan campaign. 

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U.S. forces struck 16 mine-laying Iranian ships connected March 10, according to CENTCOM. (U.S. Central Command/X)

"CENTCOM forces are striking targets to dismantle nan Iranian regime’s information apparatus, prioritizing locations that airs an imminent threat," CENTCOM said. 

Targeted assets see Iranian Navy ships and submarines, aerial defense systems, anti-ship rocket sites, subject communication infrastructure and accommodation progressive successful ballistic rocket and drone manufacturing. 

On Friday, Trump, speaking astir Iran, said, "Their Navy's gone, their Air Force is gone, their anti-aircraft is each gone." 

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed astatine nan opening of Operation Epic Fury. ( Office of nan Supreme Leader of Iran via Getty Images)

"Their leaders are each gone. The adjacent group of leaders are each gone. And nan adjacent group of leaders are mostly gone," Trump continued. "And now, cipher wants to beryllium a leader complete location anymore. We're having a difficult time. We want to talk to them and there's cipher to talk to." 

Trump besides said that, "Over nan past fewer weeks, nan world has seen nan existent spot and mightiness of our sailors and aviators arsenic they fought successful 1 of nan astir analyzable and successful subject operations of each clip against nan Iranian regime."  

A U.S. sailor signals nan motorboat of an MH-60R Sea Hawk chopper aboard nan craft bearer USS Gerald R. Ford while supporting Operation Epic Fury astatine oversea connected Feb. 28. (U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

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"And it's amazing... I don't want to get excessively crazy here, not a contest. It's not moreover a contest. They do immoderate they want," Trump said. 

Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey, Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.