Commander of the IRGC Criticizes Attempts by Some to 'Reform Relations with the U.S.'

The Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran criticized the 'indifference' of some government officials and political figures to the warnings of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, as well as their efforts to reform relations with the U.S. and the West, stating that these individuals cannot be considered revolutionary. According to Fars News Agency, Mohammad Ali Jafari emphasized on Thursday, December 4, that those seeking reforms in the 'revolutionary' path defined by Ayatollah Khamenei cannot be called revolutionary. In a speech to Basij forces, he referred to the Supreme Leader's warnings about American 'influence' in Iran, stating that cultural, economic, and social 'threats' are 'not well felt.' Jafari stressed that the conditions of the revolution have 'changed and become complex,' and that 'recognizing today's counter-revolution is very difficult and differs from the armed counter-revolutionaries of the early revolution.' He also noted that the revolution has 'always been harmed from within' and that it is crucial to understand where the internal threats in political, economic, and cultural aspects come from. Jafari emphasized that many do not understand the Supreme Leader's statement that 'Basij is not a faction.' He clarified that while the Basij is not a faction, it is part of the revolutionary front and confronts the anti-revolutionary front. A day before Jafari's remarks, President Hassan Rouhani stated that the Basij is 'not a faction or party' and that according to the general election policies issued by the Supreme Leader, armed forces should not interfere in elections. On Saturday, October 24, the Supreme Leader issued general election policies that prohibit 'supporting candidates' by armed forces, the three branches of government, and intelligence and security institutions. Two days later, Rasoul Sanaei Rad, the political deputy of the IRGC, announced that the armed forces had not interfered in elections even before the issuance of these policies and were only engaged in 'clarification and enlightenment.' Ali Saeedi, the representative of the Supreme Leader in the IRGC, welcomed the issuance of these policies but stated that political activity is 'part of the essence' of the IRGC. Previously, reformist political figures have repeatedly criticized the interference of the Basij and the IRGC in favor of conservatives and supporters of the Supreme Leader in elections. In this context, Mahmoud Sadeghi, a representative from Tehran in the parliament, emphasized on Sunday, October 25, that the IRGC's interference in elections has 'become a fixed practice.' In another part of his speech, Jafari referred to previous warnings from the Supreme Leader about 'cultural infiltration,' stating, 'But some gentlemen and ministers said, which cultural infiltration? and opposed it in practice. How can this person be considered revolutionary?' He questioned how someone who does not act according to the Supreme Leader's economic strategies and does not accept them can consider themselves revolutionary. He stressed that some not only do not pay attention to the Supreme Leader's warnings about relations with the U.S. and the West but are also seeking to reform them, meaning they want to make reforms in the path defined by the revolution; how can we consider them revolutionary? The IRGC commander stated that 'some oppose the revolutionary movement and the path outlined by the Leader and want to make reforms, for example.' Close associates of the Supreme Leader have repeatedly stated that Hassan Rouhani's government seeks to improve relations with the U.S. and the West following the Vienna nuclear agreement and has strongly opposed some of the government's programs in recent weeks, including the establishment of an EU office in Iran. Jafari also mentioned that due to the 'capabilities of Iraqi Mujahideen and Hashd al-Shaabi' in the Mosul operation, there is no need for Iranian forces. However, he indicated that Iranian forces may be present in a 'limited advisory' capacity in the region. Mohammad Baqeri, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, also stated on Thursday that if the Supreme Leader permits, 'hundreds of thousands of Basijis' are ready to be present in the 'resistance front.' In recent years, reports have emerged about the deaths of several Iranian forces in Iraq, which are significantly less than the reports of Iranian forces killed in Syria. Mohammad Ali Shahidi, the head of the Martyrs Foundation, recently announced that the number of Iranian forces killed in Syria and Iraq, whom he referred to as 'defenders of the shrine,' has exceeded 'one thousand.' The operation to retake Mosul from ISIS began on October 17 (October 26). The Hashd al-Shaabi, an Iranian-backed Iraqi Shiite militia, announced on Wednesday that it had completed the siege of Mosul and, by advancing in western Mosul, reached the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.