2023-11-13 19:24:27
Commander of the missile unit in the Revolutionary Guard: The war has spread to Lebanon and Iran is prepared
The commander of the missile unit in the Revolutionary Guard, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, warned of the possibility of the war expanding in the region, and said that “the war has spread to Lebanon, and the level of clashes is likely to increase,” pointing out that his country is prepared for all situations in light of the ambiguous future of the conflict. Present.
Hajizadeh touched on the situation in the region hours following a military facility linked to Iran was subjected to US air strikes in Syria.
Iranian media quoted Hajizadeh as telling reporters today that “the Gaza issue has become a global issue today,” speaking of a “major strategic victory for the Palestinian fighters,” in reference to an attack launched by the Hamas movement on October 7. He declared: “This great victory cannot be removed by tactical and criminal operations and the killing of children.”
Hajizadeh was asked regarding the possibility of Iran responding to the expansion of the war in Gaza to Lebanon and the Lebanese Hezbollah, and he said: “Today the war has expanded and Lebanon is a party to it. It is possible that the intensity of the conflict will increase more than it is now, because the future is ambiguous. Iran is prepared for all situations.” ».
Hajizadeh made his first comment since the outbreak of war in Gaza last month on the sidelines of a memorial conference for his predecessor in command of the missile unit of the Revolutionary Guard, Hassan Tehrani Moghadam, the engineer of the Iranian ballistic program, who was killed in a huge explosion that rocked a missile factory in the fortified Malard area, east of Tehran. On November 12, 2011, 36 people were killed among the ranks of the Revolutionary Guard.
The bombing bore Israeli fingerprints. The incident is considered the most prominent event of the Israeli-Iranian shadow war that included nuclear scientists, military officials, nuclear and military facilities in Iran, and affected Israeli commercial ships on the high seas.
Exchange messages
In an implicit reference to a warning sent directly by US President Joe Biden to Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei, Hajizadeh presented his version of the messages exchanged between the two sides, saying: “The Americans do not threaten Iran, because in their correspondence with Iran, which some nights amounted to three messages, they talk In the language of hope and wishing.
Hajizadeh said: “Iran is not in a position where others can threaten it. We are at the peak of our power and are prepared for all situations.” He pointed out that “the issue of the Zionist entity has gone beyond the issue of revenge, confrontation, and liberating prisoners.” He added: “It seems that it is a matter of personal vendetta for Netanyahu and the rulers of Israel. They know that if a truce is announced today, the war government will lose many of its powers, and Netanyahu must go to court the next day.”
He added: “If the war continues for another month, they will not achieve anything other than increasing the number of their deaths.” He expected that Israel would move an “astronomical distance” away from pre-war conditions. He said, “The helicopters that transport wounded soldiers do not have the opportunity to refuel, so they refuel by air.” He also expressed his belief that “war expenses are increasing. The Americans have considered themselves partners in Israel’s fate, and in the future they will pay the price from the pockets of American taxpayers (…).” He also said: “Today the axis of resistance is working,” and he specifically referred to Iraqi armed groups and the Yemeni Houthi group.
Iranian officials call the “axis of resistance” armed groups that Western countries describe as Iranian agents. American forces were subjected to more than 45 attacks by pro-Iranian groups in Syria and Iraq.
American forces carried out air strikes on Sunday targeting facilities in eastern Syria, used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, “The strikes targeted a training facility and a hideout near the cities of Al-Bukamal and Al-Mayadeen, respectively.”
This is the third attack of its kind, following US forces targeted two Iranian weapons storage facilities last Wednesday in Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the death toll from the pro-Iranian militias was eight, including a Syrian and two Iraqis.
In a parallel context, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in his weekly conference on Monday, “The resistance groups do not take orders from Iran, nor do we direct orders to them. They take the decision directly.”
Kanaani recommended that the American administration “pay attention to its unacceptable behavior and measures in supporting the Zionist entity instead of making accusations.” He said: “America is responsible for the war, because it blocked a resolution in the Security Council to end the Israeli attacks,” repeating previous statements by senior Iranian officials, led by Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in the ruling establishment.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani during a press conference today (Mehr)
Kanaani pointed out that Tehran received an American message confirming Washington’s unwillingness to expand the scope of the war, calling on Tehran to use its influence to avoid that. Regarding Tehran’s answer, Kanaani said: “Our response is that the resistance groups are independent in their decisions.”
Regional tension
Tehran distanced itself from the actions of groups sponsored by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard with money and weapons. Kanaani said, “The American presence in Syria is an occupation, and has no legal basis. The Syrian government has submitted protests to the United Nations,” and added: “The actions of the resistance groups have nothing to do with Iran. We consider the American statements a kind of escape forward.” He added: “Of course, Iran does not want tension in the region. We have repeatedly declared that we do not want the war to expand.”
He continued: “Iran announced from the beginning its fears of the expansion of the war on the one hand, and on the other hand we said that continued American support for the crimes of the Zionist entity and opposition to the truce would lead to the opening of new fronts.”
He added: “America must realize that immediately stopping the killing, lifting the humanitarian blockade, and withdrawing the military from the region can prevent the war from expanding.”
Kanaani reiterated his country’s position rejecting the Arab initiative and the two-state solution, and said in this regard, “Iran believes in the establishment of a single Palestinian government from the sea to the river, which is what the Iranian president announced in Riyadh. The Iranian solution regarding holding a referendum for all Palestinian citizens has been documented in the United Nations, and Iran’s position has not changed.”
“Ben-Gurion’s theory”
Meanwhile, the former Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, renewed warnings once morest throwing Iran into a direct war with Israel, speaking of “resolute efforts” made by some parties in Iran.
Zarif said, in an open dialogue with a group of his compatriots via the Telegram network, that the reason for the repeated warnings he issued during recent days with former President Hassan Rouhani was the attempt of “a political party to bring Iran into war.” “Including sending messages to the Supreme Leader and analyzing them,” despite Khamenei denying his country’s role in the war.
Some reformist websites said that Zarif was alluding to a message sent by Saeed Jalili, the representative of the Iranian leader in the Iranian National Security Council.
Zarif said: “Iran has been removed from the equations of the major powers through the security game as a threat (smuggling from Iran).” He added: “None of the major players in the world has a serious desire for Iranian roles.”
In the dialogue session supervised by the editor-in-chief of the “Hum Mihin” newspaper, Zarif spoke regarding Iran being “deceived” in the Russian-Ukrainian war.
He said: “It is unfortunate that Russia deceived us in Ukraine. They took the drones from us and exposed them themselves, and this has very terrifying reasons in the calculations of the nuclear balance.” He added: “It was dangerous for them and dangerous for us.”
Regarding Gaza, Zarif said that “the guide is very attentive,” and continued: “Apart from the issue of economic problems, the entry of Iran and (Hezbollah) into this war represents the ultimate hope of Israel in reality.” He warned that this was “a revival of (Ben-Gurion’s theory) by fighting outside Israel.”
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