Two top generals of the Islamic Republic have warned the United States of coming terrorism, Fars News Agency reported Sunday.
Brig. Gen. Masoud Jazayeri, the deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, attacked U.S. policies in the region and warned, “America on the one hand arms al-Qaida (in the Syrian civil war) and on the other kills (al-Qaida) members. Such a double-standard policy will be divulged sooner or later, and the weapons in possession of al-Qaida and other terrorist groups will target the Americans.”
Jazayeri said evidence points to terrorist groups targeting America and certain European countries and said America’s counterterrorism policies will backfire. “The outlook of this dirty game by America and Zionists will be the terrorists playing the same with their godfathers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the chief commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Ali Jafari, assailed America for helping certain groups to destabilize Iran and praised the Guards for standing up to the “world’s oppressor” with their faith in Islam.
Attending a ceremony for the Martyrs of the Guards, Jafari said, “If these (terrorist) puppet groups stand in front of America, they can conduct suicide attacks in the heart of America.”
Jafari criticized those who promote moderation in the nuclear negotiations with America and referred to the statement of the founder of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who called America the “Great Satan.”
“Today America does not even dare to threaten us even verbally, and it’s unfortunate that some do not understand the value of this power and greatness and have forgotten all the plots (by America).” He said those plots include the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, the uprising of millions of Iranians in the disputed 2009 elections and the economic pressure by America — all “to force Iran to surrender.”
President Hassan Rouhani, in an effort to ease tensions between Iran and America to remove some of the sanctions that are crushing the regime’s economy, has requested a moderation in tone from regime officials. At the same time, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president and an influential politician since the early days of the revolution, recently pushed for the removal of the “Death to America” slogan, which hardliners strongly opposed.
Several recent rallies by the hardliners in Tehran demanded Rouhani’s government provide specifics on the status of current negations over Iran’s nuclear program, chanting, “Optimism toward America, it’s betrayal, betrayal.”
The head of the regime’s Parliament also criticized those promoting the removal of the chant “Death to America,” and Parliamentarians responded by chanting the slogan.
The Revolutionary Guards, in an effort to emphasize the Islamic Republic’s view of the United States as the “Great Satan,” have arranged for mass rallies to be held across Iran to shout “Death to America” and assail worldwide Zionism on the anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover of Nov. 4, 1979.
Jayazeri, who announced the information on mass rallies in early October, stated then, “The crimes of leaders of America and international Zionism in their confrontation with the Iranian nation will never be erased from the public’s memory. … Ever since the Islamic Revolution, America has engaged in aggressive policies of blocking Iran’s wealth, helping Iraq in its war with Iran in the 1980s and espionage.”
Referring to the embassy takeover, he said, “If the American spies in Tehran under the cover of diplomats who were hatching plots were not arrested, today we would have witnessed 10 times more damage to our country and the surrounding countries.”
The Obama administration is engaged in intense negotiations with the Rouhani government, believing there could be a political solution to the illicit Iranian nuclear program. Regime leaders are hopeful to have some sanctions removed without giving up much of their nuclear activity.
Talks were held last week in Geneva between Iran and the world 5+1 powers with a new round of talks to take place on Nov. 7-8. Reports indicate that the Obama administration might possibly allow the Islamic regime access to billions of dollars in frozen assets — just as Iran is on the verge of an economic meltdown — if the regime scales back its nuclear program.
Despite several United Nations resolutions and sanctions by the U.N., United States and European Union demanding a halt to Iran’s illicit nuclear program, the Islamic regime has significantly expanded the program and currently has over 19,000 centrifuges, with enough enriched uranium for more than six nuclear bombs. At the same time, it has amassed over a thousand ballistic missiles and is working on intercontinental ballistic missiles in collaboration with North Korea.
Reza Kahlili is a pseudonym for a former CIA operative in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and author of the award-winning book “A Time to Betray“ (Simon & Schuster, 2010). He serves on the Task Force on National and Homeland Security and the advisory board of the Foundation for Democracy in Iran (FDI).
