A series of recent statements from top Iranian military and political figures – up to and including a fiery speech by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that included denunciations of “Satan and the satanic front” – has generated concerns among analysts that Tehran may refuse to make further concessions in the context of negotiations over its atomic program.
Brig. Gen. Esmail Ghaani – a deputy commander in the Revolutionary Guards Corps’ Quds Force – last week predicted that Washington would soon manufacture an open confrontation, after fear of Iranian power had kept U.S. troops cowering in their tanks in Iraq and Afghanistan:
IRGC Quds Force Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Esmail Ghaani spoke at the Sixteenth Assembly for Veterans of Jihad and Martyrdom:
“From this point onward, America, which has already been working behind the scenes against Iran will openly confront the country.”
“American policy in Iraq and Afghanistan show that they are afraid of Iranian power. The situation was so severe that American soldiers did not get out of their tanks out of fear.”
Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naghdi – the head of Iran’s Basij Organization – had boasted that United States had been broken in Syria, and that the dynamic was evidence of the power of jihad:
Head of the Basij Organization Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naghdi spoke before Friday prayers in Qom:
“The breaking of America in Syria and before that in Lebanon and Palestine represents the successes of the Islamic Resistance in the area of Jihad and you can see these successes in other areas.”
“The cultural war with the west began with 4000 satellite dish channels with 120 channels in different dialects of our country in order to corrupt, pervert, prostitute, and attack the foundations of morality and theology.”
Iranian media on Monday conveyed statements by Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Hassan Firouzabadi denigrating U.S. efforts to help opposition forces, described by PressTV as heretic “Takfiri groups.”
For his part Khamenei recently declared, per the insidery Night Watch intelligence bulletin, that Iran would continue bolstering its armed forces.
He particularly lashed out against “those who seek to promote concession-making,” accusing critics of Iranian bellicosity – the exact language was aimed at those who “accuse the Islamic establishment of warmongering” – of being traitors.
Night Watch particularly took note of Khamenei’s declaration that “jihad is never-ending because the Satan and the satanic front will exist eternally,” describing that language as a description the U.S. and its allies among the P5+1 global powers negotiating over Iran’s nuclear program:
Khamenei’s remarks indicate that Iran will make no more substantive concessions. The three sticking points are: Iran insists that the UN Permanent Security Council members and Germany recognize Iran’s right to enrich uranium; that Iran’s missile program is not a topic for negotiations and that Iran will continue its nuclear research and development. Khamenei’s remarks above cover all three points in veiled language.
[Photo: PressTV News Videos / YouTube]