Iran’s Revolutionary Guard deputy in political affairs, Brigadier General Yadollah Javani has dismissed U.S. military drills in the Persian Gulf saying these will not intimidate the Islamic Republic.
The United States military conducted training exercises with live ammunition in the Persian Gulf between May 19 and 21 and integrated Marine AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters with the U.S. Air Force AC-130W gunships and U.S Navy ships.
Javani said, “What Americans call military exercises for strengthening security in the Persian Gulf region and as assistance to their allies in fact are attempts to solidify their presence in the area”. He went on to claim that regional nations “are waking up” and “the resistance front” supports the Islamic Republic.
The resistance front is Iran’s label for a host of state and non-sate allies, including the Lebanese Hezbollah, Houthi forces in Yemen, Shiite militia in Iraq and others; all supported financially and militarily by Tehran.
This is one of the reasons the United States insists Iran must change its behavior if it wants to reach an agreement and avoid heavy economic sanctions.
Javano also claimed that “the Islamic Republic is an established regional power and is in the process of becoming a world power. America today does not have the power it used to wield and is not capable to achieve what it wants”.
While Iran has boosted its missile power in recent years, it is vulnerable to much superior U.S. military power and its economy is in serious crisis due to Washington’s sanctions.
Nevertheless, the Islamic Republic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) general said the U.S. is miscalculating if it thinks military exercises can impact Iran’s resolve. He also claimed that America’s presence in the region is coming to an end and the longer they stay in the Middle east the worse it will be for them.