TEHRAN The commander of Irans Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has reaffirmed that while Tehran has no intent of starting a war, it will respond powerfully and decisively to any hazards or acts of aggression.Speaking on Sunday, Major General Hossein Salami addressed current U.S.
claims that Iran has been supporting Yemens military in its strikes against Israel.
Washington has called for an end to Irans declared assistance to the Ansarullah Resistance movement, however Salami dismissed these accusations while highlighting Irans commitment to protecting itself.Iran will never ever be the one to begin a war, but must we face a hazard, our reaction will be firm, decisive, and definitive, Salami stated.He also responded to U.S.
President Donald Trumps recent remarks, in which Trump accused Iran of directing Yemens Ansarullah forces and cautioned Tehran to cease its backing of the group.The individuals of Yemen are independent, totally free, and capable of making their own choices, Salami asserted.
Iran honestly takes responsibility for its actionswhenever and any place they take place.U.S.
airstrikes in Yemen primarily targeted civilians rather than military sites.
Reports suggest that at least 18 non-combatants were killed, with almost 20 others wounded, in attacks on Sanaa and other locations.Since November 2023, Yemens Armed Forces have been carrying out strikes on essential Israeli military and financial sites, striking back versus the U.S.-backed Israeli war on Gaza.We are completely prepared to safeguard our interests, values, identity, and authenticity, he stated.
Any danger versus Iran will be consulted with a crushing, decisive, and destructive response.Salami accused the U.S.
of duplicating past mistakes in its diplomacy, mentioning its failures in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan.The enemy advances the same misdirected course, refusing to gain from history.
This path will only result in their defeat, he warned.He also criticized Washingtons approach to diplomacy, saying, They discuss negotiations while all at once providing risks.
This contradiction reveals they do not understand the Iranian nation.Salami indicated the U.S.
withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018 as a turning point in escalating tensions.
He blamed the U.S.
for deserting diplomacy in favor of sanctions and pressure tactics.