The Wall Street Journal reports that after signing the MOU with the US, Iran's hardline faction decided to violate it and prepare for a wider war against the US and Israel. According to Arab and Iranian sources cited by the paper, the IRGC was given greater control over the military, missile and drone production was accelerated, and Iran began attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. US officials have warned Gulf states, particularly Kuwait, that Tehran is preparing to strike 'enemy territory.'
The Wall Street Journal reports that Iran’s hardline faction has decided to violate the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the United States in June and accelerate preparations for a wider war against the US and Israel. According to the report, after the MOU was signed, the hardliners met and determined to use the agreement as a tactical pause rather than a path to de-escalation. The plan includes granting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expanded control over the military, accelerating missile and drone production, and launching attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. US officials have warned Gulf states, particularly Kuwait, that Tehran is preparing to strike ‘enemy territory.’
The Zioneer reported earlier on the WSJ story of Iran’s secret escalation plan at 06:41 Jerusalem this morning, and a subsequent dispatch at 08:09 Jerusalem provided further details. Today’s WSJ report adds specific details about the hardline decision: IRGC was given greater authority over the regular military, veteran commanders from the Iran-Iraq war were appointed to senior posts, and missile and drone production was accelerated. Arab intelligence agencies have collected communications between Iran and its proxies in Iraq and Yemen corroborating the plan.
This development deepens the context of months of escalating confrontation. As The Zioneer reported on June 14, Iran had already closed the Strait of Hormuz to foreign shipping. On June 27, Tehran claimed responsibility for strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait, threatening to halt US negotiations. The MOU, signed on June 17, had already been eroded by Iranian attacks on maritime traffic and proxy operations. A July 31 report noted that US and Israeli assessments held the MOU was no longer relevant given Supreme Leader Khamenei’s hardening position.
The full extent of Iran’s operational preparations remains under assessment by Western and regional intelligence. The WSJ’s sourcing draws on Arab and Iranian contacts, and the timeline for any potential escalation remains unclear.
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