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Senior Iranian officials described the ongoing confrontation with the United States and Israel in sweeping ideological terms on October 24, 2026, with IRGC spokesperson Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi calling it 'a battle over identity and civilization' with repercussions extending beyond Iran's borders. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei separately said labeling the war an 'Iran conflict' amounted to moral evasion by Western countries. The remarks reflect an ongoing effort by Iranian officials to cast the conflict as part of a broader historical and civilizational struggle rather than a limited military dispute.