TEHRAN Major General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of Irans Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), delivered an address to senior military officials on Saturday, reiterating Irans defensive posture while warning adversaries of catastrophic consequences.We will not initiate war, but we possess overwhelming power to confront any aggression, he declared, emphasizing that psychological and military confrontations have only fortified the countrys resolve.
Salami marked the Israeli regimes April 2024 unlawful attack on Irans Damascus consulate, which killed senior IRGC commanders, including Brigadier General Mohammadreza Zahedi, as a turning point in recent events in West Asia.This aggression marked the beginning of a global confrontation, he stated, describing it as a pivotal moment in Islamic history.The subsequent True Promise operationsIrans retaliatory missile and drone strikes on the Israeli regimepenetrated what Salami called the most fortified airspace in history, comprising Iron Dome, Davids Sling, and THAAD systems.Our missiles penetrated their illusions of security, the general said.Salami also mocked Tel Avivs reliance on Washington, comparing it to a zero appended to Americas one.
Cut off weapons, and it collapses.Gaza is historys most astonishing taleThe general also praised the resilience of Palestinians in Gaza, describing it as the most amazing story in history: In a completely besieged strip, without water and food, under the enemys ruthless fire, the people of Gaza stand firm and do not allow the enemy to prevail.We are facing a frustrated and nervous enemy that cannot defeat an unarmed people, Salami stated.The commander extended this solidarity to Yemens Ansarullah, Lebanons Hezbollah, and Iraqi factions, asserting they form an unbreakable front against occupation.The IRGC chief recounted a series of "painful but galvanizing events," including the "suspicious pager blasts" and Israeli assassinations that martyred Hezbollah commanders and leaders such as Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah"the spiritual compass of Islamic resistance"and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforushan."These sacrifices," he stressed, "are not endpoints but turning points in our eternal struggle."Salami lauded the "heroic resilience" of Axis of Resistance allies, emphasizing that despite escalating regional pressures, Iran and its partners remain "steadfast in defending justice and confronting the occupation."He dismissed adversaries claims that such strikes had "crippled the Resistance," arguing instead that the Axis had "exhausted the enemy on the northern front through a year of heroic attrition warfare" while delivering "unmatched support to our besieged brothers and sisters in Gaza."Every inch in occupied territories a target within our reachThe commander condemned the "arrogant illusion" that Irans deterrence had weakened, stating, "The enemy miscalculates by thinking we will bow to ultimatums.
We are the IRGCborn from the trenches of sacred defense, molded for epic battles, and loyal to the path of Ashura.
We do not fear confrontation; we define it."Turning to the enemys strategic fragility, the commander warned that "their sprawling presence across the region has become their Achilles heel.
Every inch they occupy is a target within our unerring reach."If Resistance were fading, why has the enemy accepted ceasefires or failed its objectives? he challenged.Salami dismissed claims of Iranian weakness amid Syrias turmoil, stressing Tehrans role was limited to defeating ISIS.He also said blaming Iran for Syrias challenges reflects enemy miscalculations.The Resistance Front hasnt yet deployed its full capabilities, choosing instead to exercise restraint over the scope of the conflict, the commander stated, adding: However, any escalation will unleash a fire beyond imaginationthe sheer magnitude and intensity of the war would far exceed even the enemys wildest expectations.