Iranian Forces Ready for Any Eventuality: Commander

“Our confrontation with the US today is decisive,” Commander of the Khatam al-Anbia Headquarters Major General Gholam Ali Rashid said, addressing an open session of the parliament on Saturday.

The commander further hailed Iran’s current military power compared to the years of Sacred Defense (Iraqi imposed war on Iran in the 1980s) and said in those years, the war was imposed on Iran at a time when the country did not have proper defense readiness and was struggling with domestic political disputes.  

“Today, we have turned mistakes caused by the lack of readiness at the onset of the war into a constant vigilance and the vulnerability of the people to missile attacks into missile power,” the top general added.

“…We have achieved the dignity of our nation from blood (of martyrs) and today we are prepared for every situation,” Major General Rashid stated. 

The remarks came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the US with Washington imposing new economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Since then, the administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.

The Trump administration has attempted to use a combination of hawkish rhetoric, diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions and now military posturing in order to bring Iran to the negotiating table and sign a new nuclear deal.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif recently ruled out any prospect of negotiation with the United States, calling the Washington regime a “bully” trying to force all others into acting illegally.