Iran Asks US Defense Minister to Speak More Cautiously

Hosseini Dehghan, Iran's Defense Minister, reacted to recent comments by Ashton Carter, the US Defense Secretary, urging him to speak more 'cautiously.' At the same time, the commander of the US Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf stated that Iran continues its destabilizing behaviors. On Friday, November 6, Carter said in an interview with The Atlantic that 'if you look at places where the Iranians can exert influence, (you see) they are in the game, on the ground.' He noted that when the Houthis are seizing Yemen, purchasing advanced aircraft for Arab countries is of no benefit, and they should focus instead on training and preparing efficient ground forces and special military units. This statement prompted a response from Iran's Defense Minister, who described US strategic policy as 'continuation of war and bloodshed' and told Carter that 'the power and influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran is not solely derived from military capability but from the determination to confront the aggressive and oppressive nature of the hegemonic system.' Dehghan, whose remarks were reported by the Mehr News Agency during a meeting with defense ministry officials, added that Carter should speak 'more wisely and cautiously' to avoid putting the US in 'troubles similar to those it has faced in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen.' He also urged the US Defense Secretary not to provoke the feelings of regional countries from a position of contempt. The defense minister of Hassan Rouhani's government also stated that Iran seeks stability and security in the region and has 'already paid the cost for it,' advising regional countries to refrain from purchasing expensive American weapons. Meanwhile, IRNA reported comments from Hassan Firouzabadi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, who said that the US Defense Secretary 'has spoken excessively and revealed his inner desires.' Firouzabadi accused the US and its allies of having a 'tendency towards Muslim slaughter' and stated that 'Islamic Iran has no territorial disputes or national interests with any of its neighboring countries, and the main enemies of Iran are the US and the usurping Zionist regime, and our defensive power is to confront their provocations.' 'The nuclear agreement has not led to a halt in Iran's behavior.' However, on Sunday, the Associated Press published remarks from the commander of the US Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf, accusing Iran of continuing its 'destabilizing behavior' in the region. Admiral Kevin Donegan, speaking at the opening of the Dubai Airshow on Sunday, November 18, told the Associated Press that the global powers' nuclear agreement with Iran has done little to encourage the Islamic Republic to stop its destabilizing activities. The Fifth Fleet is stationed in Bahrain, and Admiral Donegan was appointed to command this fleet in September of this year. This senior US commander emphasized that he does not want to downplay the importance of the nuclear agreement with Iran, but other Iranian behaviors, such as 'smuggling military equipment to Yemen and harassing passing ships in the Persian Gulf, continue.'