IRGC Official: The Response to Requests for Visits to Iran's Military Sites is Hot Lead

The deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sharply criticized requests for visits to Iran's military sites, stating that if the Western side speaks about this, "they should be answered with hot lead." Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of the IRGC, stated on Saturday, April 29, during a television program regarding the discussion of allowing Western inspections of Iran's military sites, which he claims is mentioned in the "fact sheet of the Swiss statement," that: "The importance of this issue is so high that we do not even allow anyone to think about inspecting the most ordinary military sites, and we will not allow the national security of Iran to be compromised." According to this IRGC commander, allowing a "foreign force" to visit military bases is akin to "occupying land" because all defense secrets are located in these places. Salami further described the discussion of military site visits as "humiliating" and expressed confidence that "our diplomatic men possess honor, courage, and faith, and if the enemy speaks about this, they will deliver a strong blow to their claims." He also commented on nuclear agreements, stating: "Flexibility in uranium enrichment rates is different from flexibility regarding visits to Iran's military sites; we do not grant this permission to anyone." Referring to "American officials' statements about not wanting a new war in the Middle East," he declared: "Americans know well what defeats a war with Iran would bring them; our thinking about American power is not mental, and we have intelligence oversight of America's military power." Salami concluded by stating that "if we did not have the capability to confront America on a large scale, we would not speak so confidently about this," adding: "We have considered national and regional security considerations, and we are raising this issue." Regarding the "fact sheet" or "statement sheet" of Iran from the nuclear agreement in Lausanne, Switzerland, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif previously stated that the preparation of this document was ordered by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Before that, Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced that the publication of the Iranian fact sheet would disrupt negotiations and only attract public opinion. Recently, 213 members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly signed a letter to Mohammad Javad Zarif requesting the publication of this fact sheet. These requests arose after Iran and the 1+5 group reached an understanding on pathways to a final agreement, following which the U.S. State Department published a multi-page document regarding the points of agreement. Some of the points raised in this document have been criticized by Iranian negotiating officials. The issue of visits to sensitive military and nuclear sites in Iran has always been contentious, and in this regard, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter recently emphasized that any agreement with Iran would include oversight of Iran's facilities.