Senior US military commander says Iran’s Revolutionary Guards still ‘exercise significant authority’

The top US commander in the Middle East says that while he believes Iran’s military capabilities are “dramatically degraded,” he notes that Iran’s able to influence shipping with rhetoric alone.

“Their voice is very loud, and the threats are clearly heard by the merchant industry and the insurance industry,” Adm. Brad Cooper tells lawmakers Thursday.

Cooper also says the US military has a wide range of contingencies and retains the ability to escort shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. However, he defers to policymakers about the best path forward amid the “time of sensitive negotiations.”

He adds that despite the damage and destruction inflicted by the US military on Iranian military forces, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is still a major force in running the country.

In response to questions from Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine, about who’s in charge in Iran, Adm. Brad Cooper says the IRGC is still “exercising significant authority.”

But Cooper defers to diplomats and negotiators on whether the paramilitary force is part of the peace negotiations.

Additionally, Cooper tells the Senate Senate Armed Services Committee that American forces have learned a lot from the Ukrainian military, which is battle-hardened from its war with Russia.

“We adopted a large number of tactics, techniques and procedures that the Ukrainians have passed us that have helped us defend Americans,” Cooper says.

Ukraine has passed on expertise to the US specifically regarding anti-drone warfare. Iran had launched swarms of drones against US and allied forces, killing some Americans.