US sanctions indicate Washington’s desperation, anger: Top IRGC commander

The chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says recent US sanctions against senior commanders of the elite military force are out of Washington’s desperation and frustration in the face of the Islamic Republic’s power.

Major General Hossein Salami said the US sanctions which followed Iran’s downing of an advanced US spy drone that had intruded into Iran’s southern skies were indicative of Washington’s sheer desperation, frustration and anger in face of Iran’s might and grandeur.

“This measure is a passive reaction to the downing of the super-advanced intruding US spy drone by the IRGC,” Salami said.

To vent its spleen on the Islamic Republic, it was only natural for the US to resort to “illogical and irrational” reactions following Iran’s “flexing muscles” and its deterrent move that shattered Washington’s delusions of grandeur, he added.

On June 20, the IRGC shot down a US RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned surveillance drone that had intruded into Iran’s southern skies.

The IRGC said that it had used the domestically-built Khordad 3 air defense system, first unveiled in 2014, to shoot down the sophisticated American drone.

A few days after the incident, the White House introduced new sanctions that targeted Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and senior commanders of Navy, Aerospace, and Ground Forces of the IRGC.

Washington is also set to slap bans on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is seen as the architect of a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal, which Washington abruptly abandoned last year. The US reinstated its unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic following its exit from the landmark deal.

Salami said the US imposition of sanctions was “a threadbare, ineffective and worthless” practice.  

He said that slapping sanctions against the IRGC and its commanders that have marked failures of US strategies and policies was nothing new, reiterating that it will only result in reinforcement of the force’s determination to defend the Islamic establishment and protect the Iranian nation in repelling any threat by aggressors against the country’s territory.

The top IRGC commander warned enemies will see the repercussions of their “ill-intentioned and spiteful” acts against the Islamic Republic in the future.      

He concluded that the IRGC’s determination to follow guidelines set by Ayatollah Khamenei and the nation’s full support for the Armed Forces will fail enemy’s “pious dream” and will not allow it to boast about its power.

On Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei reaffirmed that the Iranian nation will not retreat in the face of America’s “cruel sanctions” and “insults” and will continue on the path to progress and prosperity.

“The world’s most hated and vicious government — which is itself behind wars, sedition and exploitation of other countries — levels accusations against and hurls insults at the honorable nation of Iran on a daily basis,” the Leader said.

“However, the Iranian nation will not be taken aback by such ugly measures and will not retreat,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated.