Iranian army chief: We will turn Tel Aviv and Haifa into dust
On the eve of Prime Minister Netanyahu's meeting with US President Donald Trump, Tehran threatens to destroy Israel "with lightning speed."
By JPOST.COM STAFF, YASSER OKBI/ MAARIV HASHAVUAUpdated: SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 15:02Members of the Iranian revolutionary guard march during a parade to commemorate the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq war (1980-88), in Tehran September 22, 2011.(photo credit: REUTERS)
Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi, an Iranian military officer currently acting as the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, issued a menacing statement against the Jewish state hours before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to bring up the ever-imminent threat posed on Israel by Tehran in his encounter with US President Donald Trump.The two are slated to meet at the UN for the General Assembly's 72nd session held at the NY headquarters."We will destroy the Zionist entity at lightning speed, and thus shorten the 25 years it still has left," Iranian media quoted Mousavi as saying in reference to a recurring threat by Iran and its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to take down the State of Israel in the next quarter century."I warn the [Zionist] entity not to make any stupid move against the Islamic Republic of Iran," he threatened. "Every [such] stupid act will [make us] turn Tel Aviv and Haifa into dust."Mousavi also said that "the world will not forget the crimes [committed] by this arrogant Zionist offical." According to Iranian news agency Tasnim, Mousavi was talking about an Israeli official who had allegedly made "irresponsible declarations" concerning Iran's presence in the conflict-addled Syria."He [the official] should bow his head down and calculate how much longer he has to live. Every mistake made by this [Zionist] entity will make it last less than the 25 years it has left, and Iran will destroy this entity with lightning speed."Trump calls for peace in the region, tougher line against Iran (credit: REUTERS)He then reiterated the warning that Israel won't proceed to exist for more than the next 25 years.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to relay to the Trump administration Israel's concerns regarding the looming threat posed by Iran's nuclear activity. Netanyahu has been vocally advocating against the Iran Deal since before it was formed, and President Trump doesn't seem to differ from Netanyahu in opinion concerning the nature of the deal."The Iran idea is one of the worst deals I've ever seen, certainly at a minimum the spirit of the deal is just atrociously kept," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One last week.In response to Trump's comments and recent US statements about Tehran's actions, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Sunday that Tehran would react strongly to any "wrong move" by Washington on the nuclear deal.
Netanyahu is also slated to present to Trump's Israel's worries regarding the establishment of a long-lasting Iranian stronghold in Syria, that could also have grave repercussions on Israeli security. Israel will “not tolerate Iranian consolidating its presence on our northern border,” the premier said recently ahead of his key parley with Trump.Reuters contributed to this report.
