Wall Street Journal Report: Iran Prepared for War While Negotiating with the US

A new report by the Wall Street Journal suggests that the leadership of the Islamic Republic had decided to violate the memorandum of understanding with the United States from the moment it was signed. According to the report, Tehran's goal was to increase military costs for Washington and prepare for a confrontation with the US and Israel. Arab and Iranian sources told the publication that hardliners in the Iranian leadership viewed the memorandum merely as a Western attempt to mitigate the impact of closing the Strait of Hormuz on the global economy. Following this decision, extensive authority was granted to the IRGC to control the Iranian army, and veteran commanders from the Iran-Iraq War were appointed to key positions. Missile and drone production was accelerated, and attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea commenced. Arab intelligence agencies have reportedly gathered evidence of Tehran's communication with proxy groups in Iraq and Yemen aimed at increasing the cost of war for the United States and attacking Gulf states. Following these findings, US officials have warned countries in the region, particularly Kuwait, about Iran's intent to carry out attacks within enemy territory.