Tehran, Sept. 21 -- Iran's military leaders warned on Monday that foreign aggressors will face "more defeats" if they challenge the country, claiming Iran has already forced the US and Israel to submit and taken direct control of strategic maritime trade routes in the region.

In a joint statement released by the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters to commemorate the annual Sacred Defence Week marking the start of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, and carried by ISNA, the military leadership reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the nation's borders and strategic interests against external threats, specifically referencing the United States and Israel.

"All the warriors of Islam in the army, the...