US sponsors ISIS and 'child-killer' Israeli regime, says Iranian commander

"The US' new strategy in the region is [inciting wars of] religion against religion, and it has created and supported terrorist groups, including the ISIS," said the commander.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 11:20
Commander of Iran's land force Ahmadreza Pourdastan speaks during Friday prayers in Tehran (photo credit: RAHEB HOMAVANDI/REUTERS)
Commander of Iran's land force Ahmadreza Pourdastan speaks during Friday prayers in Tehran
(photo credit: RAHEB HOMAVANDI/REUTERS)
Commander of Iran's land force accused the US of sponsoring terrorist groups in the region, including ISIS, and of supporting the "occupying Zionist regime," Iran's Fars News Agency reported on Wednesday.
"The US' new strategy in the region is [inciting wars of] religion against religion, and it has created and supported terrorist groups, including the ISIS, in line with the same strategy," Iranian commander Ahmadreza Pourdastan said in a speech addressing land force commanders in Tehran.
 "It is true that we have had an agreement with the US in the nuclear field, but US enmity towards us is deeply rooted," said Pourdastan, referring to the nuclear deal between Iran and the US.
Hostilities between Iran and the US will likely continue, he lamented, because of strong ties between Israel and the US. "The occupying Zionist regime is the US redline, and we have a problem with the child-killer Israeli regime,"
Pourdastan's vitriol against the US and Israel follow similar statements made earlier on Wednesday by Revolutionary Guard Tehran commander Brig.-Gen. Mohsen Kazzemeini, who stated that military preparedness would be increased until “it overthrows Israel and liberates Palestine.”
“And we will continue defending not just our own country, but also all the oppressed people of the world, especially those countries that are standing on the forefront of confrontation with the Zionists,” he said.
The comments came during massive military drills in Tehran that included 250,000 Basij volunteer paramilitary force.
On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met in Tunisia with Rachid Ghannouchi, the head of that country’s Islamist Ennahda movement, and called on Muslims to form “a united front against the Zionist enemy,” Iran’s Al Alam website reported.