Iranian officials declare full military readiness amid rising tensions with US

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Iranian officials declare full military readiness amid rising tensions with US

2026-01-26 15:39 Last Updated At：18:57

Iran's armed forces have entered a state of full alert in response to current enemy military deployments as the United States President Donald Trump said that the United States has a "massive" naval force heading toward Iran, members of the country's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said on Sunday.

Mohammadreza Mohseni-Sani, a member of the commission, emphasized in an interview that Iran is continuously monitoring all hostile activities in the region, and the military is prepared for immediate action. Should Iran face any form of infringement, it will launch a ferocious counterattack that could target U.S. interests throughout the region, extending from the Strait of Hormuz to various U.S. assets, with strategies that will surpass enemy expectations, he said.

Meanwhile, another member of the committee, Ahmad Vahidi, warned that if the U.S. commits a strategic error, its military bases in the region and Israel will face devastating strikes, serving as an unprecedented lesson.

Trump said on Thursday that the United States has a "massive" naval force heading toward Iran, while suggesting it may not be used as tensions remain high amid Iran's unrest.

However, while Trump told reporters "Iran does want to talk, and we'll talk", the Iranian side firmly rejects the idea, with Ahmad pointing out the U.S. has previously demonstrated a lack of integrity in negotiations and even launched attacks during dialogue, pledging Iran will not be lured into such diplomatic traps again.

He stressed that negotiating under the current circumstances is not appropriate, as the Iranian government has "seen through the U.S. game plan" and will resolutely defend its sovereignty and interests.

Iran has experienced a recent period of unrest, after protests which started peacefully in late December eventually turned violent, resulting in significant casualties of both civilians and law enforcement and widespread damage to public property. Iran has blamed the United States and Israel for infiltrating the demonstrations.

Trump has frequently threatened military intervention in Iran, with the U.S. having already bombed several Iranian nuclear sites last June amid a 12-day war between Israel and Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said last Monday that what took place in Iran earlier this month was in continuation of the "failed bids" by the United States and Israel.

Foreign investors bullish on long-term growth potential of Chinese assets in 2026

As China's stock market continues to rebound, international investors are increasingly recognizing the country's high-quality development prospects, announcing plans to maintain an overweight allocation to Chinese assets in 2026 and step up long-term investment, citing confidence in their innovation and sustained growth.

Global investors are shifting their focus from short-term valuation gains to the long-term growth potential of Chinese assets, as corporate transformation and industrial upgrading accelerate. The steady improvement in corporate fundamentals has become the core driver underpinning foreign investors' bullish outlook.

"In the past, markets mainly focused on relative valuation attractiveness. Now, more and more companies are proving themselves through earnings performance and cash flow. We see continuous improvements in Chinese firms' capabilities in research and development investment, product iteration, and global expansion. Innovation is no longer just about scaling up, but increasingly about efficiency and quality," said Wen Tianna, President of Hong Kong Boda Capital International.

The sustained innovation capacity of Chinese enterprises, coupled with targeted governmental policies, is further amplifying the global appeal of Chinese assets.

"For global investors, Chinese assets offer both high-quality earnings growth and strong macro policy support, making them a core component of global asset allocation," said Wang Xinjie, Chief Investment Strategist of Standard Chartered China Wealth Solutions Department.

Looking ahead to 2026, investment in the AI industrial chain has emerged as a broad consensus. Meanwhile, sectors such as new consumption are also becoming focal points, drawing increasing global attention to opportunities in China.

"Recently, our UBS Greater China Conference in Shanghai attracted more than 3,600 participants. Notably, the number of investors from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa rose by 32 percent year on year. The surge in Chinese innovation is creating valuable opportunities for global investors to position for high-quality growth," said Xu Bin, Head of Research from UBS Securities.