TEHRAN, September 29. /TASS/. The United States would have enjoyed respect in the Middle East had it not been spending money on wars and instead invested in regional development, Hossein Mohebbi, spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), argued.

"If the US spent at least 10% or 5% of all its expenditure on its military campaigns against other countries or put the money into development in these countries, the US would be a favorite," Mohebbi said at a news conference, titled Message to Americans.

In that case, Mohebbi continued, the American flag "would be hoisted with respect rather than trampled on."

The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding providing for an immediate ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, the United States resumed large-scale attacks on Iran overnight on July 8, having accused it of breaching the existing agreements regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a global chokepoint for approximately 25% of oil and some 20% of LNG supplies.

The Trump administration recently signaled an end to any large-scale use of force against Iran and a transition to applying economic pressure on the Islamic Republic through sanctions instead.