Threats Increase on Both Sides

Rooz Online -- With growing military threats against the Islamic republic of Iran, and the possibility of war, various Iranian officials are joining ayatollah Khamenei in raising their threats against the US and Israel. This has gone so far that the commander of the Basij para-military force declared, “We have no choice but to annihilate the US,” as Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon announced that “11,000 missiles” were waiting to be fired at Israel and the US.

In a video broadcast to artist Basij members of Mashhad, Basij chief Mohammad-Reza Naghdi said, “Our full independence and unhindered advance towards progress and perfection is subject to removing the arrogant system (a reference to the US) and Zionism from our path.”

“When we want to advance in science and technology, we are confronted with repeated resolutions, the assassination of our prominent scientists, scientific sanctions and other obstacles. Our economic progress and the sale of our exports are threatened by the creation of parallel markets, and Zionist networks strengthen the destructive domestic movements,” Naghdi continued.

Coming to his point he declared, “Until the US exists, we shall not be quiet.” “We must raise public hate against the US for the complete destruction of the US. … We have no choice but to completely annihilate the US to attain our ideal society.”

In a related development, Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi announced during a press conference, “We are in a defensive posture and if we are attacked we shall respond with a hard and painful response.” And referencing some of the comments by Israeli officials about a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear installations, while dismissing the seriousness of these threats said, “We have prepared ourselves and right now have 11,000 missiles ready to be fired at the US, Israel and their global interests.”

Prior to this on November 19 of last year ayatollah Khamenei had said, “Anyone who thinks about attacking the Islamic republic of Iran should prepare himself to receive hard slaps and steel punches.”

Following these remarks, senior military authorities of Iran announced a change in the defense strategy of the country and said that the “strategy of threat” was on the agenda and began threatening Western countries.

On the other side too, US and Israeli officials in recent weeks renewed their talk of a possible military attack on Iran and reiterated that “all options were on the table.”

Speaking at an AIPAC gathering last week, US president Barack Obama warned “I will not hesitate to use force when it is necessary to defend the United States and its interests.” The Israeli prime minister Netanyahu also told Jerusalem Post that an attack on Iran would not take place in “… a matter of days or weeks, but also not of years.”

The US Air Force chief General Norton Schwartz also said earlier this month that plans to attack Iran’s nuclear sites are in place, adding that various options had been presented to the US president. US defense secretary had also announced that the Pentagon was preparing for various military options to attack Iran’s nuclear installations should current diplomatic efforts and sanctions fail.