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A senior Iranian military adviser has made the stunning claim that Tehran has achieved its ‘first’ military victory in the Islamic Republic’s 47-year history, while simultaneously demanding the release of 4 billion in frozen Iranian assets as a condition for moving forward with peace negotiations. Mohsen Rezaei, military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, told CNN that the current battlefield situation has fundamentally altered Iran’s position in talks with the United States, presenting President Trump with what he called a ‘test of trust.’ The remarks come as bilateral negotiations remain stalled and a fragile ceasefire barely maintains peace in the region. Rezaei was unambiguous in his assessment: ‘This is the first time Iran has emerged victorious in wars, while in previous wars Iran has always been defeated.’ It’s a remarkable statement from a regime that has spent decades portraying itself as the victim of Western aggression. Now, suddenly, they’re claiming victory and making demands. Under the proposed roadmap, Tehran wants 2 billion in blocked funds released once an interim pact is signed, followed by another 2 billion in a second phase. Rezaei insists this would demonstrate Washington’s seriousness about pursuing an agreement. ‘The negotiations are at a deadlock and Trump must break this deadlock,’ he said. ‘The ball is in Trump’s court. If he wants to reach an agreement with Iran, this 4 billion is a test of trust that Iran wants to have with Trump—this is a test that America must pass and the path will be opened,’ he said. ‘This is our own money, not America’s money.’ The irony is hard to miss. A regime that chants ‘Death to America’ in its parliament now wants to lecture the United States about trust. A government that has funded terrorist groups across the Middle East for decades now presents itself as a reliable negotiating partner. And we’re supposed to believe that releasing billions of dollars to these actors will lead to peace rather than more missiles? Rezaei didn’t stop at demands. He issued a warning that any renewed fighting would expand well beyond the Persian Gulf, threatening attacks on American bases from the Strait of Hormuz to the Indian Ocean, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean. ‘We will give another dimension to the war,’ he threatened. He also dismissed the possibility of a meeting between Trump and Khamenei, despite the president recently saying he would be ‘honored’ to meet the Iranian leader. ‘This will not happen,’ Rezaei declared. So much for diplomacy. The question facing the Trump administration is straightforward: does releasing 4 billion to a regime that just claimed victory over America serve American interests, or does it simply fund the next round of hostility? When your adversary is declaring victory while holding out their hand for cash, who exactly is winning?
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