Mission to UN Warns of U.S. ‘Military Adventurism’

IRGC Chief: Iran Fully Ready for Any Scenario

Date: 01 January 2021 - 21:58

News ID: ۸۶۱۱۵

TEHRAN/UNITED NATIONS (Dispatches) – The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Friday warned the United States against any provocative moves in the Persian Gulf, emphasizing that the Islam Republic stands fully prepared for any possible scenario.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the assassination of top anti-terror commander General Qassem Soleimani, Major General Hussein Salami said Pentagon’s recent decision to ramp up its military presence and activities in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is because of the mistake it made last year.
Salami noted that the assassination of Gen. Soleimani along with his Iraqi trenchmate Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and their other anti-terror associates bred passionate hatred among Muslims toward the United States.
"This intense hatred always haunts the Americans like a nightmare. They have taken a series of actions to escape from this horrible nightmare. We have braced ourselves for any scenario,” Gen. Salami said.
"Iran has no worries. We are ready to defend our independence, vital interests and achievements of our great [1979 Islamic] revolution as we have demonstrated over the past 41 years,” he added.
Iran’s permanent mission to the UN on Thursday warned of U.S. "military adventurism” in the final days of the Trump administration.
The Iranian mission issued a stern warning in a letter to the UN Security Council, saying the U.S. has ramped up its military presence and activities in Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman in recent weeks.
"In addition to sending advanced and highly sophisticated weapons to the region over the past few weeks, the United States has also carried out some provocative military actions, including the deployment of a number of its long-range strategic bombers in the Persian Gulf in recent days,” the mission said.
"Such belligerent moves, if left unchecked, could escalate tensions to alarming levels, and it is clear that the United States will be fully responsible for the entire consequences,” it added.
The letter underlined Iran’s determination to protect its people and to defend its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity and noted that the Islamic Republic’s resolve to respond decisively to any threat

or use of force against the country should not be underestimated.
On Wednesday, two nuclear-capable American B-52 bombers flew over the Persian Gulf after nonstop flights to the region from their U.S.-based hangars. It was the third time in six weeks that American bombers were conducting long-range flights off the Iranian coast.
The latest deployments came after the U.S. Navy announced the arrival of a nuclear-powered submarine in the Persian Gulf last week. The USS Georgia passed the Strait of Hormuz accompanied by two American warships, making it the first missile-loaded submarine of its kind to enter the Persian Gulf in eight years.
The provocative moves come as Iranians and Iraqis are preparing to mark the first anniversary of the U.S. assassination of General Soleimani and Muhandis.
On Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif warned about the "U.S. acts of mischief” in the region during a phone conversation with his Kuwaiti counterpart Ahmad Nasser al-Muhammad Al Sabah, stressing that Washington would be responsible for the consequences of any possible adventurism.
Zarif earlier said U.S. President Donald Trump is attempting to fabricate a pretext to attack Iran, stressing that Tehran would defend itself forcefully.
"Instead of fighting COVID in the U.S., Donald Trump and cohorts waste billions to fly B-52s and send armadas to OUR region. Intelligence from Iraq indicate plot to FABRICATE pretext for war,” he tweeted.
The Pentagon announced on Thursday that the Nimitz aircraft carrier, which was off the coast of Somalia, would be heading back to its homeport. Previously operating in the Middle East, some U.S. officials said the move could be seen an attempt to reduce tensions in the region.
According to the Associated Press, "this might reflect a split within the defense establishment on whether Iran poses a heightened threat to strike in the waning days of the Trump administration”.
"Iran doesn’t seek war but will OPENLY and DIRECTLY defend its people, security and vital interests,” Zarif wrote.
Hussein Dehqan, a military adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said on Twitter: "I saw on the news that the Americans are on alert for fear of the revenge (over General Soleimani’s assassination) and have flown two B-52 bombers over the Persian Gulf.”
"All their military bases in the region are covered by our missiles. I advise the White House evictee (Trump) not to turn the New Year into mourning for Americans,” said Dehqan, a former defense minister.\