Nikki Haley: Key Members of the Revolutionary Guard Must Be Eliminated

Nikki Haley, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Donald Trump, stated in an interview that key members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) should be removed. In a conversation with the right-wing Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, published on Friday, June 1, she said that the sanctions imposed on Iran have not been effectively pursued, allowing Tehran to continue its nuclear program. She emphasized that the proposed sanctions must be enforced and those that have been lifted should be reinstated. Haley added, 'The second thing that needs to be done is to pursue key members of the IRGC so they feel their weakness; this is something they have not faced until now.' Donald Trump has indicated that he sees a role for Nikki Haley, his unsuccessful rival, in continuing his campaign. Recently, Haley, who was considered a competitor to Trump in the Republican primary, announced that she would vote for him in the presidential election. Some analysts believe she made this statement in hopes of a vice-presidential position. Haley stated she is not talking about an 'all-out war with Iran' but that 'we need to send a few messages; even if we take out a few key members of the IRGC.' When asked by Israel Hayom if by removal she meant killing them, Haley replied, 'Finish their work.' According to Haley, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a global problem, and Arab countries should explicitly state this. Haley visited Israel at the invitation of Danny Danon, former Israeli ambassador to the UN, to tour settlements and villages in southern Israel where residents were killed and abducted in an attack by the extremist group Hamas on October 7 of last year. Haley's actions, which included writing 'Finish their work' on missiles ready to be fired at Hezbollah positions during a visit to Israeli army forces near the border with southern Lebanon, faced significant criticism in the U.S. Just two days prior, an Israeli military operation to eliminate two Hamas members near a refugee tent in Rafah resulted in the deaths of 45 others, which drew global protests and was described by the Israeli Prime Minister as a 'catastrophic mistake.' Haley attributed the October 7 attack on Israel to Iran, Russia, and China. Israeli leadership has faced severe criticism from allied governments in recent weeks for 'insufficient care' for civilian lives in the Gaza war. The American branch of Amnesty International and the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned Haley's statements as a 'message encouraging violence.' However, Haley defended her views in the interview with Israel Hayom, stating that Israel is fighting enemies who are also enemies of America, the free world, and democracy, and who want to destroy the West. She added, 'Iranian terrorists say: Death to Israel, death to America, and we must believe them. They truly seek the destruction of freedom, democracy, and the West, and that is why it is important for Americans to know that Israel is fighting America’s enemies.' Haley stated, 'As long as Hamas exists, an event like the October 7 attack may happen again, and I have always said: eliminate them, once and for all.' On Thursday, Haley reiterated her support for Israel in the Gaza war during a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu. A long-time staunch supporter of Israel, Haley stated at a Republican Jewish Coalition summit that she would never criticize the Israeli Prime Minister in 'the midst of tragedy and war.' However, Donald Trump, the likely Republican candidate in the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November, emphasized that Israel should end the Gaza war sooner. Meanwhile, the Russian embassy in Tel Aviv rejected Haley's comments during her press conference in Israel regarding 'Russia's intelligence support for Hamas in the October 7 attack on Israel.' Russia has close ties with Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. and the European Union. The Russian embassy's statement sarcastically noted, 'Ms. Haley's love for Russia is well-known... Once again, an American politician is making absurd and blatant lies without any evidence.'