Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has increased its threats and rhetoric against Europe. It made similar threats last month as well.
IRGC and Europe
The IRGC doesn’t want to be listed as a terrorist group and has recently celebrated getting Iran International, a news company critical of the regime, to leave London. Maj.-Gen. Hossein Salami, the IRGC’s commander-in-chief, slammed Iran’s enemies, according to the pro-regime Tasnim News.
In his statement, he claimed Iran is “never at peace” and that “enemies of the revolution” were working against Iran. “Today, Europe has openly and officially entered into a [kind of mild or low-level] war with us.” He again referenced past bad experiences Iran has had with the West and Western-backed regimes..
“Today, Europe has openly and officially entered into a [kind of mild or low level] war with us.” He once again referenced past bad experiences Iran has had with the West and western-backed regimes.
He claimed the West supported Saddam Hussein in the 1980s. He also alleged that the West has backed “takfiris” or terrorist groups such as ISIS. “The enemy’s work has reached the point where it has brought in the wandering opposition and those who are political bankrupts who are rejected by the Iranian nation,” in reference to Western countries backing protests in Iran and hosting opposition figures.
Salami praised Iran’s armed forces and claimed the US is doomed to defeat in whatever countries it operates. Overall, the comments by the IRGC and other Iranian pro-regime media paint a picture of increased tensions with Europe, the US and the West in general.
Much of the rhetoric is typical, but the tensions loom. Germany has expelled Iranian diplomats, and Iran has sentenced to death German-Iranian dual national journalist Jamshid Sharmahd.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a statement that Germany was “declaring two Iranian Embassy staff members to be persona non grata” and “ordering them to leave Germany immediately”. Baerbock also said “we call on Iran to reverse the death penalty for Jamshid Sharmahd and to make it possible for him to have a fair appeal based on the rule of law.”