India, March 5 -- Iran will continue fighting until it achieves its strategic objectives, the commander of the country's ground forces said Thursday, signaling Tehran's readiness for a prolonged conflict following the latest escalation after Israel attacked Iran.

"We do not care how many days the war lasts. We have endured an eight-year war, and we will end this war when we achieve all our goals and make the enemy repent and despair of his shameful actions," Iranian Ground Forces commander Kioumars Heydari said in remarks broadcast by Iran's state-run IRIB network.

The comments represent one of the clearest public statements from a senior Iranian military official since hostilities intensified, reflecting Tehran's determination to cont...