TOKYO, April 3. /TASS/. Iran lags behind the US militarily but it’s far stronger in terms of preparedness for prolonged military operations, Ryoji Tateyama, professor emeritus at National Defense Academy of Japan, told the Yomiuri newspaper.

"US President Donald Trump’s statements, in which he highlights American military achievements, aren’t affecting Iran as it is determined to show strong resistance. Iran is demonstrating political will and it has no reason to agree to make peace with the United States through a compromise," he pointed out.

Tehran actively continues to carry out missile attacks on the Gulf nations and Israel, "keeping them socially and economically under pressure," Tateyama added. "The Strait of Hormuz is actually blocked, and this is how Iran has succeeded in taking the global energy market hostage," the expert went on to say. "Iran is weaker than the US in military terms, but it shows a much stronger determination to continue the war," he noted. In the analyst’s opinion, the upcoming midterm congressional elections, set for November, are what is weakening the US administration’s position.

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump demanded the Iranian authorities make a deal in the near future, threatening that otherwise civilian infrastructure facilities in the country would be destroyed.