REZA KAHLILI
The chief commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned the
United States yesterday that if it attacked the Islamic Republic's
nuclear facilities, it would blow back in America's face.
Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari was responding to a statement by Secretary of State
John Kerry made on Thursday
to Al Arabiya that if Iran does not abide by the interim Geneva
agreement with the 5+1 world powers reached in Geneva, "the military
option of the United States is ready and prepared to do what it would
have to do."
"Mr. Kerry!" Jafari replied. "Know that a direct conflict with
America is the strongest dream of the faithful and revolutionary men
around the world. Your threats to revolutionary Islam are the best
opportunity. Muslim leaders for years have been preparing us for a
decisive battle. I think it's unlikely that your wise men would allow
America to be placed on one side of this decisive battle and take the
ridiculous military option from the table into action."
Claiming that America's days of superiority are over because of
budget deficits and broken policies, Jafari warned Kerry of a massive
retaliation from its proxies if Iran is attacked.
"If you don't have the ability to understand the military and
security issues, ask your experienced analysts if America can truly
withstand the devastating consequences of a military action," he said.
"Do you know how many thousands of revolutionary Muslims at the heart of
the Islamic revolutionary groups around the world are awaiting for you
to take this [military] option from the table into action?" Jafari
asked. "If you don't know, think a bit or research it."
Iran and the 5+1 world powers, the five permanent U.N. Security
Council members plus Germany, reached an interim agreement in Geneva in
November over the regime's illicit nuclear program. Under the
six-month agreement, Iran, in return for billions of dollars in
sanctions relief, will keep much of its nuclear infrastructure, is
limited to enriching uranium at the 5 percent level for six months, will
convert its highly enriched uranium of 20 percent to harmless oxide,
and will allow more intrusive inspections of its nuclear plants by the
International Atomic Energy Agency, which will be limited to only
agreed-on facilities.
"In case [Iranian] officials witness any violation or an effort to
disregard our country's inalienable nuclear rights by the West and
America taking advantage of the [Geneva] agreement with their
interpretation of it, they should consider the agreement annulled with
full authority," Jafari
had warned after the interim agreement was reached.
The regime's president, Hassan Rouhani,
in an interview
with Fareed Zakaria on CNN, gave the same message that nuclear
technology was Iran's inalienable right. "It is a part of our national
pride, and nuclear technology has become indigenous. ... And recently,
we have managed to secure very considerable prowess with regards to the
fabrication of centrifuges." Rouhani added that "not under any
circumstances" would Iran destroy any of its existing centrifuges.
Furthermore, Deputy Chief of Iranian Armed Forces' General Staff
Brigadier General Seyyed Masoud Jazayeri said on Saturday that American
interests in the Middle East will be "totally destroyed" if the U.S.
attacks Iran,
according to Alalam.ir.
An informed source within the Revolutionary Guards intelligence
division who cannot be named for security reasons has stated that
Rouhani's mission is to manage a breakdown in international sanctions
while buying time for the country to make further progress in missile
delivery and nuclear weapons development.
A version of this piece previously appeared on
The Daily Caller
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