Commander of the IRGC: Threats Against Iran Are Harmful

Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), referred to what he called "the enemy's acknowledgment of the greatness, dignity, and power of the Islamic Republic" and said: "American officials know that threats against Iran are not only useless but harmful." According to Tasnim News Agency, Jafari made these remarks on Wednesday, February 9, in Hamadan, and in another part of his speech, described Donald Trump, the new President of the United States, as an "inexperienced president." He also referred to America as a "paper tiger." Jafari's statements come as Reuters reported on Tuesday that the White House is considering adding the IRGC to the list of "terrorist organizations." In recent days, American officials have labeled Iran as the "largest supporter of terrorism in the world." On the same day, Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of the IRGC, described America as the "strategic orchestrator of all security, political, military, cultural, economic, and scientific threats against the Islamic Republic" and added: "We must increase our power to the extent that they feel that any action or declaration of threat against our country will only result in devastating losses for them." A day before these statements from the IRGC commanders, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, also referred to recent warnings from Donald Trump and senior members of his administration to Iran, stating that "Iranians are not afraid of threats" and added, "The people will respond to these remarks on February 11 and show what position the Iranian nation takes against threats." In response to the statements from the leader of the Islamic Republic, Sean Spicer, the White House spokesman, said: "Iran is fooling itself if it thinks a new president has not taken office." Spicer added: "The Ayatollahs will understand that a new president has come to power. This president will not sit idly by while Iran creates rifts in the joint agreement (JCPOA) with its violations, but will take appropriate actions." Previously, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, had warned the Islamic Republic regarding Iran's missile tests not to "play with fire," and Mike Pence, the Vice President of the United States, also stated that "the Islamic Republic should not test the seriousness of the new president." In this context, Zarif warned of "difficult days" ahead for Iran.