Imam Khamenei’s Military Aide: Iran’s Line of Defense Located in Southern Lebanon

Senior Military Aide to Imam Khamenei Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said Iran’s influence and clout has now stretched to the Mediterranean coasts and its line of defense is now in Southern Lebanon.

“Certainly, the US, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and the European countries’ strategy to overthrow (Syrian President) Bashar Assad has failed and this failure is a strategic failure for the western, Arab and Zionist front and a great victory for the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Safavi said, addressing a group of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) veterans in the Central province of Isfahan on Saturday.

He underlined that Iran is now an influential power in Iraq, Syria and the Mediterranean and by gaining victory in Syria, this is the third time that the country has proved its regional power to the world.

“Our frontmost line of defense is no more in Shalamcheh (in Southern Iran), rather this line is now in Southern Lebanon (‘s border) with Israel as our strategic depth has now stretched to the Mediterranean coasts and just to the North of Israel,” Safavi said, adding that the westerners are concerned about the spread of Iran’s influence and power from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean.

Iran’s influential role in the region has even been admitted by the western officials.

In a recent case on Wednesday, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics called Iran as an important and powerful country in the region and world, and praised Iran’s positive role in settling the regional crises, specially in Syria and Afghanistan.

Concerning Syria, he said dialogue and political solution are the sole way to settle existing crises and that all world and regional players should play their role in this process.

He continued that Iran’s role in this process is undeniable and Tehran should continue its positive role.

Rinkevics made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani in Tehran on Wednesday.