Washington, Aug. 18 -- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has utilised the period of relative calm following a June memorandum of understanding with the United States to prepare for a wider confrontation, including formulating plans for pre-emptive strikes and potential operations on enemy territory, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing Iranian and Arab officials.

The military preparations encompass accelerated missile production, enhanced missile accuracy, expanded counterintelligence operations, and an enlarged role for the powerful Revolutionary Guard within Iran's military apparatus.

"We took full advantage of the ceasefire period," Revolutionary Guard spokesman Brig Gen Hossein Mohebbi said in July, accordi...