IRGC Spokesman Calls Ali Motahari's 'Missile' Remarks 'Offensive' and 'Echoing Enemies' Voices'

The spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) criticized comments made by Ali Motahari, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, regarding attempts by some to prevent the implementation of the JCPOA through missile launches, labeling them as 'offensive,' 'ill-considered,' and 'echoing the voices of enemies.' According to the IRGC News website, Ramadan Sharif on Tuesday, January 17, described the interpretation made by one of the parliament members concerning Iran's missile program as 'offensive' and its use as 'undesirable.' The IRGC's public relations report did not mention the name of this parliament member, but some websites reported that Sharif's reaction was directed at Motahari's statements. The IRGC spokesperson stated, 'Occasionally, weak-spirited Western-oriented elements, who lack a proper understanding of national security and the deterrent requirements of the country against foreign threats, as well as the dignity and pride of the Iranian nation, either intentionally or unintentionally become echoes of the enemies' voices.' He added, 'Such talk regarding the missile power of Islamic Iran, which has played a decisive role in extinguishing the evil wishes of the enemies, confuses and worries public opinion about these clear realities.' Ramadan Sharif concluded that those who make such statements 'will be humiliated before the Iranian nation.' On January 15, Ali Motahari, in an interview with the 'Asr Iran' website, criticized some 'extremist actions' since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution, including the prolonged seizure of the U.S. embassy, 'chain murders,' and the simultaneous suspension of several newspapers. He emphasized that 'extremist actions' such as 'attempting to prevent the JCPOA's implementation through missile launches,' 'provoking the enemy to impose economic sanctions,' 'creating human rights pretexts for the enemy,' and 'labeling every protester as a seditionist' have harmed the Islamic Republic. The Deputy Speaker of Parliament stated, 'These are not revolutionary actions; they are actions driven by foolishness or selfish desires for power by any means possible.' Motahari's remarks come at a time when public criticism from government and parliamentary officials regarding Iran's missile programs is rare. In April, a tweet attributed to former Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani made headlines. In this tweet, published after a series of Iranian missile tests, it was stated that 'the world of tomorrow is a world of discourse, not missiles.' This tweet faced explicit criticism from the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, who stated on April 11 that these remarks 'if made out of ignorance, are ignorance; but if made knowingly, it is treason.' Following these remarks, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani called the statement attributed to him 'fundamentally false' and said that his comment was from seven years ago. UN Security Council Resolution 2231, while endorsing the JCPOA, has asked Iran to 'avoid any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads for eight years from the first day of the JCPOA's implementation, including the use of related technology.' However, this resolution does not prohibit Iranian missile tests and does not foresee punitive measures. Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, previously requested that the Security Council ask Iran to refrain from testing ballistic missiles, as he believes such tests have the potential to increase tensions in the region. However, Iran claims that its missile tests do not violate UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The Iranian Parliament also approved plans on January 10, during the review of the sixth development plan, which, if approved by the Guardian Council, will obligate the government to 'develop and increase missile production capabilities.' Some Iranian officials, including Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of the Expediency Council, have stated that the goal of Iran's missile program is 'deterrence' and have said that 'the greater the range of our missiles, the less likely war becomes.' However, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, stated on September 28 that the Islamic Republic's goal for missile production is to target Israel and therefore does not need missiles with a range of more than two thousand kilometers.