US Warned to Dismantle Bases in Region before Insisting on Sanctions against IRGC
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari warned the US against insistence on imposing sanctions on the IRGC, saying that, otherwise, Washington would be advised to dismantle its bases in the region.
Speaking at a gathering of IRGC Ground Force commanders in Mashhad, northeast of Iran, on Wednesday, Major General Jafari said the country’s missile power in the air, sea and land is “rapidly growing”.
He highlighted the significance of missile capabilities in creating deterrence power and said Iran’s missile power is by no means “bargainable or negotiable.”
Iran has become a major regional, and even global, power thanks to the “spiritual might of the Islamic Revolution, the weapons power of the Armed Forces and the roaring of the IRGC missiles,” he underlined.
Elsewhere, the senior commander referred to US enmities toward Iran, the IRGC in particular, warning that in case the US wants to insist on pursuing sanctions against Iran’s defense sector and the IRGC, it needs to first dismantle its regional bases within a range of 1000 kilometers around Iranian borders.
Washington should be aware that it will pay dearly for any miscalculations, he went on to say.
The comments came after the US State Department and Department of Treasury announced on Tuesday that they were targeting 18 Iranian individuals, groups and networks over alleged non-nuclear behavior, such as support for ballistic missiles development.
In June, the US Senate had passed a bill on new sanctions against Iran. The bill would impose mandatory sanctions on people involved with Iran’s ballistic missile program and those who do business with them. It would also apply terrorism-related sanctions to the IRGC and enforces an arms embargo.
On Monday, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri cautioned the US against the “big risk” of imposing terrorism-related sanctions on the IRGC.
“Drawing an analogy between the IRGC and terrorist groups and imposing the same sanctions (used against terrorists) on the IRGC would be a big risk to the US and its bases and forces stationed in the region,” the senior Iranian commander said.
Slamming as a “wrong US calculation” the Congressional bill seeking to apply terrorism-related sanctions to the IRGC, Major General Baqeri said the Iranian nation has always stood up against the world hegemonic system, especially the US, and has boosted its capabilities, stressing that any fresh sanction would again become an opportunity for Iran’s progress.
He further recommended that the US legislature exercise more “caution” and “think deeper” about the decisions on new anti-Iran sanctions, stressing, “The Islamic Republic of Iran’s missile power is defensive and never would be subject to bargaining and negotiation at any level.”
