Mon Feb 11, 2019 03:17PM [Updated: Mon Feb 11, 2019 03:34PM ]
The file photo shows Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the IRGC's second-in-command.

A senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says enemies of the Islamic Republic must finally leave the region instead of expecting Iran to end its regional presence.

"They want Iran to leave the region to clear the way for their dominance and allow them once again to control our borders [in order] to be able to create problems for the Iranian nation," Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the IRGC's second-in-command, said in the Iranian city of Shahrekord on Monday as he was speaking on the sidelines of a rally celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

He added that Iran is constantly altering its policies based on enemies' approaches, saying, "The enemy should not ask us to leave the region, because they themselves must leave the region."

The senior IRGC commander emphasized that Iran will help Muslims anywhere in the world and will not allow enemies to dominate them.

Back in December, US President Donald Trump made an abrupt announcement to withdraw the roughly 2,000 American troops from Syria, claiming the US had accomplished its goal of defeating the Daesh terrorist group in the Arab country. 

A month later, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened to “expel” all Iranian forces in Syria, describing Washington’s declared troop withdrawal from Syria as a “tactical change” and added that the American mission to counter Iranian influence there remained the same.

Pompeo made the remarks while speaking in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi as part of an anti-Iran regional lobbying tour


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'Iran will raze Tel Aviv in case of US attack'

In a related development, IRGC’s Deputy Commander for Political Affairs Brigadier General Yadollah Javani said on Monday that the Islamic Republic would raze the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa in the occupied territories if the United States attacked Iran.

"Despite all its defense and military capabilities, the United States does not dare fire a single bullet at us. The US should know that if it attacks us, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground," Javani was quoted by IRNA as saying.

He added that the US is increasing pressure on Iran to open the doors of dialog, but the Iranian nation knows that any scheme to hold negotiations with Washington is nothing but deceit.

"The Islamic Establishment has no fear of the US, because it will defend itself with full power," the senior IRGC commander said, assuring the Iranian nation that "The Islamic Establishment is facing no dead end; neither any war is on its way, nor will we embark on negotiations" with the US.

In July, Javani warned any country seeking to endanger Iran's interests, particularly the United States, saying Tehran will retaliate in kind in such a case.

"If some seek to endanger the Islamic Republic of Iran’s interests, Iran will also endanger their interests with its capabilities," he said.