Khamenei: The Only Factor in Eliminating Military Threats is Creating Fear in the Enemy

While Hassan Rouhani has repeatedly emphasized that the nuclear agreement has removed the shadow of war from Iran, the Supreme Leader of Iran states that such remarks are 'not correct' and that the 'only' factor in eliminating military threats is 'defensive and military power' and 'creating fear in the enemy.' According to the state news agency IRNA, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Sunday, September 18, addressed the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and also called the remarks of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani regarding the progress of countries like Japan and Germany after disbanding their military organizations as 'incorrect.' Khamenei described one of the duties of the IRGC as 'ensuring internal and external security' and emphasized that if 'the enemy is not stopped outside the borders, internal security will also be lost.' The Supreme Leader has previously accused Western countries of creating the Islamic State (ISIS) to 'counter' the Islamic Republic, stating that 'Iraq and Syria were a prelude to incapacitating Iran, but the power of the Islamic Republic kept them in check.' Meanwhile, Iranian officials have repeatedly cited one of the reasons for the presence of Iranian military forces in Syria and Iraq as 'defending Iran's security.' For instance, Mahmoud Alavi, Iran's Minister of Intelligence, claimed in an interview with Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen TV that 'if Iran had not confronted terrorists in Syria and Iraq, it would have had to fight them in the western provinces of the country.' The Supreme Leader continued his remarks by stating, 'Sometimes statements are made by some officials suggesting that the elimination of military threats and war is due to certain actions, while these statements are not correct.' Khamenei emphasized that the 'only factor' in eliminating military threats against the Islamic Republic is 'defensive and military power' and 'creating fear in the enemy.' Hassan Rouhani and his government officials have repeatedly stressed that the Vienna nuclear agreement has removed the 'shadow of war' from Iran. On Sunday, the Supreme Leader also referred to comments about the progress of some countries after being deprived of military forces, adding, 'It is very hard to believe these statements from those attributed to them, but if such statements have indeed been made, they are incorrect.' He added, 'No wise person would abandon their defensive forces; therefore, the country's defensive power must be strengthened day by day.' Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran, on September 4, referred to the 'strong economy' of Germany and Japan, stating that these countries invested their money in scientific and productive endeavors and 'knowledge-based economy' after World War II and are 'no longer vulnerable.' Rafsanjani emphasized that 'this path has also opened in Iran.' His remarks provoked a strong reaction from some of Khamenei's close associates and military commanders, including Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force. Khamenei also mentioned 'absolute distrust' of the United States as 'one of the elements of the soft power' of the Islamic Republic, attributing it to 'rationality stemming from thought, depth, and experience.' He added, 'Unfortunately, some are unwilling to accept this distrust, and although they verbally say that the U.S. is the enemy, the real feeling of distrust towards the U.S. does not exist in them.' The Supreme Leader referred to the Vienna nuclear agreement as 'a fruitless experience' of negotiations with the U.S. and emphasized that 'regional problems and challenges' cannot be solved through negotiations. Just hours before the Supreme Leader's remarks about the 'fruitlessness' of the Vienna nuclear agreement, the President of Iran stated that 'sanctions did not bring us dignity, but the first thing that the JCPOA brought us was dignity.' Previously, Mostafa Tajzadeh, the political deputy of the Ministry of Interior during Mohammad Khatami's presidency, criticized Khamenei's approach in an open letter from prison, stating that it is expected that the Supreme Leader 'takes the side of the majority of the people.' U.S. officials have also rejected claims by Iranian officials regarding the West's failure to meet its commitments, stating that they have acted 'beyond their commitments' in the nuclear agreement. Nevertheless, Khamenei reiterated that the U.S. request for negotiations regarding regional issues aims to 'prevent the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region as the main factor behind America's failures.' He emphasized that negotiations with the U.S. regarding regional issues 'not only have no benefit but also cause harm, and this has been argued to high-level officials in the country, and they had no response to refute it.' The Supreme Leader has repeatedly stated that he has rejected U.S. officials' requests for cooperation on regional issues. He mentioned that on the very first days of the ISIS issue in Iraq, the Americans requested cooperation through their ambassador in Iraq, and he opposed it because 'their hands are stained.' However, after the Vienna nuclear agreement, Iran was invited for the first time to participate in a meeting to resolve the Syrian crisis. Meanwhile, Fars news agency reported on Thursday, September 25, that 'recently, the Omani government delivered a note to the Iranian embassy in Muscat, conveying a confidential message from the U.S. requesting negotiations with Iran over Yemen.' However, Bahram Qasemi, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, denied this report on Saturday.