Mohsen Rezaei: My Return to the IRGC is Due to the Sensitive Situation in the Region

Mohsen Rezaei, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during the Iran-Iraq war, who has been the secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council in recent years, stated that he has returned to the IRGC due to feeling a sense of danger given the sensitive situation in the region. The news of Rezaei's return to the IRGC was announced in Farvardin (March-April) but he appeared for the first time in an official ceremony on Wednesday, 30 Ordibehesht (May), in official IRGC attire alongside Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic. In an interview with Fars News Agency published on Saturday, 2 Khordad (May 23), Rezaei mentioned that 'it seems that Saudi Arabia is likely to engage in further adventures beyond Yemen' and added, 'The actions that Saudi Arabia has initiated in Yemen and others in Bahrain and Syria will continue.' Rezaei expressed concern that 'unfortunately, we must say that there is a possibility that Saudi Arabia will engage in other incidents in the region. However, it cannot be said precisely what actions will be taken at this moment.' After the Houthi Shiite militants in Yemen, supported by the Islamic Republic, overthrew the Yemeni government by force, Saudi Arabia formed a military coalition from Arab countries in the region to act against them. The military intervention by Saudi Arabia and its allies in Yemen faced anger from Iran, and Khamenei predicted that 'the Saudis will have their noses rubbed in the dirt.' On the same day, Khamenei warned of what he described as 'the efforts of the enemies of the nation and some officials in the Persian Gulf region to drag proxy wars to the borders of Iran,' stating, 'If any mischief occurs, the response of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be very severe.' On that same day, Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the IRGC, stated that 'the enemies are more familiar with the language of weapons,' adding, 'We also intend to confront them with that same language.' Rezaei also mentioned that 'the policy of the U.S. and Zionism is to pit the Arabs against us and engage them with us,' adding, 'Therefore, I feel that at present, I must wear the uniform of a guard and be alongside the commanders.' Rezaei denied that he had stepped down from his position as secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council, stating that alongside the political and cultural work he does in this council, he also assists the commanders in transferring experiences and providing consultation. Rezaei was appointed as the commander of the IRGC at the age of 27 by Ruhollah Khomeini, the then leader of the Islamic Republic, in 1360 (1981). He remained in this position until the end of the war but in 1376 (1997) stepped back from military activities and was appointed by Khamenei as the secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council. In recent years, Rezaei has also attempted several times to run for the presidency of Iran but has not achieved success.