Iran holds upper hand in conflict, former U.S. defense secretary admits

Tehran - BORNA - Commenting on Iran's new conditions for the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Esper, who served as defense chief during Donald Trump's first presidential term, noted that Tehran's demands reflect strong confidence in its strategic standing.

"This indicates that they believe they have the upper hand, they believe they are winning, and in fact, they are," Esper stated. "This is what we are facing right now."

He added: "The demands they have put forward demonstrate that they have become bolder and feel confident in their position on the world stage."

The former Pentagon chief also highlighted severe shortages in certain U.S. military munitions stockpiles amid the ongoing war with Iran, pointing to the limitations of current administration efforts to ramp up production.

"When we talk about the fact that it takes two years to produce a single Patriot missile, whatever actions we take today will not offer short-term relief," Esper cautioned.

Esper explained that the root causes of the U.S. munitions shortfall trace back several decades, noting that sustained consumption and transfers during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, alongside subsequent military aid deployments, have exacerbated the deficit.

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