Pentagon Keeps Wary Eye On Iran Activities Around Strait Of Hormuz
By Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg News, Bloomberg
WASHINGTON — While Iran's military has toned down its rhetoric about military capabilities and exercises, it continues a low-profile buildup of weapons in and near the Strait of Hormuz, according to a classified Pentagon assessment.
"Iran's military strategy is defensive" and designed to "deter an attack, survive an initial strike, retaliate against an aggressor and force a diplomatic solution" while avoiding major concessions, says the unclassified executive summary of a congressionally mandated Pentagon report submitted to lawmakers on July 7.
Since the August 2013 election of President Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian government "has adjusted some of its tactics" to achieve core objectives such as preserving the rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the summary, which was obtained by Bloomberg News.
"Of note, Tehran's strategic messaging about its military capabilities through the mass media has been less strident since Rouhani took over," it said. "Widespread publicity of major military exercises, previously the norm, has been minimal" in state-run media such as the Mehr and Islamic Republic news agencies.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel wrote in his cover letter transmitting the classified report that it contains analysis of Iran's conventional, unconventional and nuclear weapons capabilities "and intelligence gaps the Department currently has" with Iran.
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