"Decisive Response to Any Miscalculation"
As anti-government protests continue in Iran in response to the country’s economic crisis, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which protects the theocratic regime, has identified the leadership of the United States and Israel as being behind the unrest.
According to Iran’s state-run Press TV on January 14 (local time), Mohammad Pakpour, Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, stated, “The powerful IRGC is at the highest level of readiness to deliver a decisive response to the miscalculations of our enemies and their internal mercenaries, such as Daesh (Islamic State, IS).”
On the 9th (local time), during protests in Tehran, Iran, a vehicle is burning. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
Commander Pakpour specifically named U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, denouncing them as “the murderers of Iranian youth and defenders of national security.” He added, “We will thwart the conspiracies of the rulers in the White House and Tel Aviv who are targeting a strong Iran.”
Commander Pakpour further criticized President Trump as a “gambler committing crimes” and referred to Prime Minister Netanyahu as a “child murderer.”
These remarks come amid speculation that the United States and Israel may be intervening in the protests with the aim of overthrowing Iran’s theocratic system.
The previous day, President Trump warned in a CBS interview that “if they do such things, we will take very strong action,” in response to reports that Iranian authorities would execute protest participants. This has been interpreted as not ruling out military operations.
In response, Ali Shamkhani, political advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, addressed President Trump on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Mention the fact that Iranian missiles swept through Al Udeid Air Base. This will certainly help you realistically understand Iran’s determination and capability to respond to any attack.”
Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East. During the “12-Day War” in June of last year, when the United States bombed Iranian nuclear facilities amid missile exchanges between Israel and Iran, Iran retaliated by attacking Al Udeid Air Base.
On this day, Reuters reported that the United States had advised some personnel stationed at Al Udeid Air Base to evacuate. Some observers have suggested that U.S. military intervention could occur within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, at a signing ceremony at the White House, President Trump commented on the protests in Iran, saying, “We have heard that the killings (of protesters) have stopped in Iran. We have been informed very strongly, but we will see what all of this means.”
He also said, “I just received information that the killings have stopped and the executions have been halted. The executions people have been talking about over the past few days will not take place. Today was supposed to be the day of execution.” He cited “very important sources on the other side” as the origin of the reports about the cessation of killings.
When asked by reporters whether military options against Iran were off the table, he replied, “We will see how the process unfolds,” adding, “But we have received very good news from people who know very well what is happening in Iran.”
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