Senior IRGC Commander Threatens Those Who Question 'Infiltration'

Yadollah Javani, senior advisor to the representative of the Supreme Leader in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), defended the IRGC's recent arrests of several journalists on Tuesday, November 10, and threatened those who consider the discussion of infiltration to be unrealistic. According to this senior IRGC commander, individuals in the country who claim that the issue of infiltration is unrealistic and fundamentally question it have a position that is worthy of 'reflection' and 'should be questioned about themselves.' This IRGC official stated that some media outlets in Iran 'publish the orders of foreigners and foreign services' to influence public opinion. Following the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group, Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, has repeatedly warned about America's attempts to 'infiltrate' the country. Following these warnings, several high-ranking officials in the IRGC echoed this sentiment, including Mohammad Ali Jafari, the IRGC's commander, who referred to the effort to infiltrate Iran after the nuclear agreement as the 'fourth sedition.' A day after the IRGC commander's statements, some media in Iran reported the arrest of 'several members of the infiltration network cooperating with hostile Western governments who were active in the virtual space and press of the country' by the IRGC's intelligence. So far, the arrests of Eisa Saharkhiz, the former director of press at the Ministry of Culture during Mohammad Khatami's presidency, Ehsan Mazandarani, the editor-in-chief of Farhikhtegan newspaper, Afrin Chitsaz, a columnist for Iran newspaper, and Saman Safarzadeh, a journalist for Andisheh Pouya magazine, have been confirmed. Now, Yadollah Javani has defended these arrests, stating that the issue of infiltration in Iran is 'a reality we are facing today.' According to this IRGC commander, looking at 'the opinions of Western officials, especially Americans' proves the discussion of attempts to infiltrate the country. Mr. Javani did not refer to any specific examples of these opinions from Westerners. However, the focus of the advisor to the representative of Ayatollah Khamenei in the IRGC on Tuesday was mainly directed at those who question the reality of infiltration and present it as a tool for repression and 'dealing with opponents.' Javani stated that those who doubt the existence of infiltration are the same individuals who have denied the '2009 sedition' over the past four years. The term 'sedition' is used by Ayatollah Khamenei and his close associates and supporters to refer to the protests against the results of the 2009 election. In his remarks on Tuesday, Yadollah Javani did not mention any legal or real individuals regarding the denial of the issue of infiltration, but in recent days, at least several members of parliament have considered the issue of infiltration merely a means and tool in protest against the recent arrests of journalists. However, the IRGC commander's remarks may also be a reference to President Hassan Rouhani's stance, who last week questioned the reality of the infiltration issue in response to the arrests of journalists, suggesting it was a pretext in the hands of individuals. On Wednesday, November 4, Mr. Rouhani stated, 'Let’s not go unnecessarily from here, from there, to arrest one or two people under some pretext and then come and amplify this case in the country. Then say this line is the 'line of infiltration.'