Iran is a very large country.
Iran has a large population.
Iran is not really a backward country where people ride camels. It could be a significant opponent.
This could be a bad idea like a land war in Asia. Would we ever try to roll into China and occupy it? I don’t think so.
If we fight Iran, we would be foolish to ever put boots on the ground. Nukes all the way. 100% of our effort should be nuclear devastation. No invasion. No rebuilding. Just a calm, “Don’t make us mad again.”
It has to be surgical. Bunker busters at every nuclear facility followed by commandos to clean up. Destroy Iran’s navy, air force, missile facilities and all gasoline refineries plus any port facilities that support gasoline imports.
Iran could barely handle Iraq in the 80s. Aside from their missiles, they have no ability to launch counterstrikes. The only thing they have is a large force in the Basijj. It would be decimated if it tried to move in any significant numbers. The only thing that would stop them from being annihilated is our own tolerance for the carnage.