General Jack Keane: Iran ‘Dragging Out’ War as IRGC Trains Civilians

Why It Matters

Keane’s assessment signals a push among influential U.S. military advisers for escalated military action that could broaden the conflict and further destabilize regional security, while also linking Iran policy to broader great-power competition with China over Taiwan. His views could shape U.S. operational readiness and political decisions on strikes, economic pressure, and arms sales.

Summary

Retired Gen. Jack Keane told Fox News that Iran is deliberately prolonging negotiations while the IRGC and state media train civilians — even in mosques and schools — preparing the population for continued conflict. Keane, advising U.S. planners, argued the diplomatic process is a ruse and urged a return to full combat operations, including strikes on military and economic targets to weaken the regime. He said U.S. and Israeli forces have bolstered regional capabilities and that recent strikes inflicted significant damage on Iranian missile sites and stocks. Keane also warned that China’s leadership is seeking to erode U.S. backing for Taiwan, framing Beijing’s timeline for force as a strategic pressure point.

Original Description

Former US Army vice chief of staff General Jack Keane says Iran is deliberately dragging out the war with the US, as the IRGC ramps up civilian training on state TV.

“This fiction that somehow Iran is going to make a deal that would meet the objectives of President Trump, I don't think it's going to happen,” Mr Keane told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.

“Motivation here is to drag this out and put more political economic pressure on our president, so that at the end of the day, there's no deal, but yet, there's no re-attack.

“There's no return to combat operation; he just washes his hands of it and declares victory.”