Khamenei Emphasizes: The Country's Defensive Power is Non-Negotiable

The leader of the Islamic Republic, in response to statements from American officials, described Iran's military presence in certain countries as the "strategic depth of the Islamic system" and emphasized that "the country's capabilities and defensive power are non-negotiable." According to IRNA news agency, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated on Wednesday, October 25, during a ceremony at the Army's Officer Training University, that the "enemies of the Islamic system" are angry and upset about Iran's "regional power" and consider it a "disturbing factor". Khamenei stressed that Western countries oppose the "increased power of the Islamic Republic among nations, in the region and beyond, because this power is the strategic depth of the Islamic system." He also assessed the opposition to some of Iran's military programs within this framework and added that "the way to confront these oppositions is to rely on and stand firm on the elements of national power, contrary to their wishes." American officials have previously labeled Iran's missile programs and the actions of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards in regional countries, including Syria and Iraq, as a "factor of instability" in the region. Meanwhile, Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, on Sunday after a coordination committee meeting between Riyadh and Baghdad with the presence of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and King Salman of Saudi Arabia, called for the withdrawal of "Iranian-backed Shiite militias" from Iraq. However, the Iraqi government rejected this request the following day. The Hashd al-Shaabi militias receive salaries from the Iraqi government and report to the Prime Minister, but Sunni Arabs and Kurdish politicians believe that Hashd al-Shaabi operates as a subsidiary of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have accused Hashd al-Shaabi of committing war crimes. On Wednesday, the leader of the Islamic Republic also reiterated his previous statements, emphasizing that "the capabilities and defensive power of the country are non-negotiable." He added, "Regarding the country's defensive tools and anything that secures or supports national power, we have no negotiations or deals with the enemy, and we will advance the path of power with strength." The Revolutionary Guards also stated in a statement following the U.S. President's remarks that "in defiance of the eyes" of the U.S. and Israel, the "regional influence" and "development of the missile capabilities" of the Islamic Republic will continue "with even greater speed." The statements of the leader of the Islamic Republic and the announcement by the Revolutionary Guards to accelerate their extraterritorial and missile activities come at a time when the United States and its allies have repeatedly stated that such actions are inconsistent with the "spirit" of the nuclear agreement and will not help further lift sanctions against Iran. Donald Trump recently announced his new strategy towards Iran, under which the Revolutionary Guards will be placed on the U.S. sanctions list. In this context, Mike Pompeo, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, stated on Thursday, October 19, that Iran is the center of Middle Eastern threats and that Washington aims to prevent the destructive actions of the Islamic Republic by pressuring the Revolutionary Guards and the Quds Force. Although the U.S. government had twice confirmed Iran's compliance with the terms of the JCPOA, Trump refused to confirm it for the third time on October 14, accusing Tehran of not adhering to the "spirit of the JCPOA." Trump's decision not to certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear agreement gives the U.S. Congress a 60-day opportunity to decide on the potential reinstatement of sanctions against Iran, a decision that could jeopardize the future of the JCPOA.