General Firouzabadi Attacks Larijani

Armed Forces Joint Staff Chief Threatens “Colluders”

The armed forces Joint Chief of Staff criticized the “faction in Majlis and administration colluding with America” and accused those who support relations with America of being enemy “infiltrators.”

Major General Seyyed Hasan Firouzabadi, who was speaking to the Joint Staff Chief generals, reacted to recent remarks by Ali Larijani indicating “reviewing possible responses to members of American Congress” by saying, “The danger that threatens the revolution today and at this juncture in time is that the Americans send messages and some people say here that we are reviewing messages from Americans.”

This military official, who received a “medal of independence” from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad two weeks earlier, added, “People who say these things are American infiltrators. The reformists said the same things too.”

What Major General Firouzabadi is criticizing in his interview are seeming attempts in recent weeks by several government officials to establish relations with the United States.

Eighth Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, though he has likened the president-elect of the United States in recent days to a “cowboy,” in several occasions he has discussed the letter authored by several American senators seeking to negotiate with members of the Iranian Majlis. Larijani said last week to IRNA that he is reviewing the letter of American senators to Iranian lawmakers, adding, “We have not yet responded because it is necessary for us to know around what issues these negotiations would revolve.”

Major General Firouzabadi is a military figure close to the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and among the handful of military icons who have preserved their position since Khamenei’s appointment to supreme leadership. Firouzabadi has served as the Islamic Republic’s Joint Staff Chief since 1368 (1990). The institution is the highest armed forces institution in Iran which is in charge of strategizing and managing all of Iran’s armed forces, including the army, the Revolutionary Guards and the State Security Forces.

If Israel Attacks, It Will be Destroyed ‎

Iran's Deputy Army Chief

On the eve of the Islamic Republic's Army Day, Iran's deputy army chief said that an ‎Israeli assault on Iran would bring about the annihilation of Israel. Speaking to a group ‎of reporters, General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani boasted the army's high morale and ‎determination to carry out its missions in accordance with the policies of Ahmadinejad. ‎
General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani spent a majority of his speech commenting on Israel’s ‎recent military maneuver. In this respect, Ashtiani said, “If Israel wants to carry out any ‎kind of move against the Islamic Republic of Iran, we will annihilate it from the face of ‎the planet.” ‎
According to the deputy chief of Iran's army, “Israel lacks strategic boundaries and is ‎extremely vulnerable. It demonstrated that vulnerability in its 33-day war against ‎Lebanon.” ‎
Implicitly referring to the long range of newly-developed missiles in Iran, Ashtiani said, ‎‎“Even if other countries dare to attack us, the Israelis definitely know their place, which ‎is in our reach, and will be most harmed by an attack. The involvement of the Zionist ‎regime in an expedition will create an unbalanced regional atmosphere.” ‎
In its meeting with reporters, Ashtiani also revealed details about Iran’s military ‎capabilities, including the use of new weapons: “in our ground force units, given our ‎presence in border areas, we have used new, innovative weapons and implemented ‎diverse tactics in order to transition from the conduct of orderly warfare into asymmetric ‎warfare. In addition, our military and defensive capabilities are such that we are certain ‎no country will allow itself to engage us on the ground.” ‎
Deputy chief of the Iranian army noted, “In the air force, we have emphasized the ‎development, innovation and preparation of new airplanes, as well as the use of ‎innovative tactics, such as increasing the culture of martyrdom among air force pilots.” ‎Ashtiani added, “In air force, we are completely prepared and alert to defend the nation’s ‎air space. In the navy, our submarines are completely superior.” ‎
Deputy chief of the Iranian army said, “Among other important steps taken by the Iranian ‎army are the design and production of submarines in different tonnages, which is very ‎important for future military equations; design and production of various radar and ‎electronic systems; production of various kinds of unmanned planes; and putting especial ‎emphasis on the production of cheaper, lighter and smarter weapons.” ‎