Subject:  Iran Threatens The West |
Author:
Stanley Levin
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Date Posted: 21:56:16 07/19/04 Mon
Special Dispatch - Iran/Jihad & Terrorism
July 14, 2004
No. 743
To view this Special Dispatch in HTML format, please visit:
http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD74304
Iran Threatens the West
In recent weeks, prominent Iranian figures have issued statements against the
West, both within the government and in the newspapers close to the regime.
These statements include threats to U.S. and European interests and targets
throughout the world. The following is a collection of recent threats and is
part of a comprehensive report on Iran's nuclear policy, to be published soon:
Recent Threats
In a speech to the residents of the city of Hamedan on July 5, 2004, Iranian
Leader Ali Khamenei said: "We, the Iranian people, within the borders of our
country, will cut off any hand that harms our scientific, natural, human, or
technological interests. We will cut off the hand that is sent to invade and
work against our people's interests. We will do this with no hesitation.... If
the enemy has the audacity to harm and invade, our blows against it will not be
limited to the borders of our country... If someone harms our people and invades
[our country], we will endanger his interests anywhere in the world."(1)
Iranian Revolutionary Guards Political Bureau head General Yadollah Javani wrote
in the conservative daily Kayhan, which is close to Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei:
"Threats of this kind are nothing new, but Iran must respond to these
threats.(2) To deal with the invader, Iran will use all its capabilities within
and outside Iran. It seems to me that in his [Hamedan] speech, the leader was
referring to the use of all means of force, as Iran has in its possession all
means of force on the highest level.
"...The converging of millions of Iranian youth imbued with the spirit of
Shehada [martyrdom] in the Basij forces(3)... along with a courageous leader,
the trend of the Islamic awakening, and the consolidation of many supporters
around Iran's Islamic revolution can [all] go into action in times of crisis and
play their part in light of these threats.
"Today we have in our possession long-range smart missiles which can reach many
of the interests and vital resources of the Americans and of the Zionist regime
in our region. Thus, if the enemies show stupidity and make any mistake towards
Iran, [Iran] will certainly use all the means and capabilities at its disposal.
"Today we enjoy high deterrent ability, and if the enemy acts in madness and
wants to try his luck, he will, as the leader said, quickly see his black fate,
and will regret acting against Iran's Islamic regime."(4)
In an editorial, the July 6, 2004 edition of Kayhan stated: "The entire Islamic
Middle East is now a volatile and tangled trap, and will be set off by the
smallest bit of silliness - and will reap many victims of the sinful
adventurers... Indeed, the White House's 80 years of exclusive rule are likely
to become 80 seconds of Hell that will burn to ashes everything that has been
built.
"Iran's counter-response is likely to be called 'sudden death' and 'the Angel of
Death suddenly revealed.' That very day, those who resist [Iran] will be struck
from directions they never expected. The heartbeat of the crisis is undoubtedly
[dictated by] the hand of Iran."(5)
Previous Threats
The above threats are in addition to earlier threats that were reviewed by MEMRI
Inquiry and Analysis No. 181, "The Internal Debate in Iran: How to Respond to
Western Pressure Regarding Its Nuclear Program" of June 17, 2004.(6) The main
threats were:
1. The recruitment and training of thousands of Iranian volunteers by Iran's
Revolutionary Guards for suicide attacks against Western, European, and U.S.
targets in Iraq, and their dispatch to Iraq.(7)
2. Resumption of Iran's project for long-range Shihab 4 and Shihab 5 missiles,
capable of reaching Europe and the U.S., by order of Iranian Leader Ali
Khamenei.(8)
3. Statements by senior Revolutionary Guards officials about a plan to eliminate
"Anglo-Saxon civilization" using missiles and martyrdom [suicide] bombers, and
about "29 sensitive targets" in the West, already identified by Iranian
intelligence with the aim of blowing them up.(9)
Endnotes:
(1) Kayhan (Iran), July 6, 2004. See also Clip No. 140, July 5, 2004,
www.memritv.org .
(2) These statements were in response to an article in The Washington Times
which he claimed was about Israel's ability to attack Iran's nuclear facilities
within 80 seconds.
(3) The Basij is a paramilitary youth militia loyal to the regime.
(4) Kayhan (Iran), July 8, 2004.
(5) Kayhan (Iran), July 6, 2004.
(6) http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=ia&ID=IA18104 .
(7) Reports on registration of volunteers, a volunteer suicide bombers
registration convention, and the dispatch of suicide bombers to Iraq appeared in
Kayhan (Iran), June 1, 2004; Sharq (Iran), June 5, 2004; Jomhouri-ye Eslami
(Iran), June 6, 2004; Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), May 28, 2004 and June 14,
2004; Sharq (Iran), May 27, 2004 http://www.sharghnewspaper.com/830307/gover.htm
, and also at the Rouydad website (Persian) that is opposed to the regime,
http://rouydad.info/news/index.aspx?UID=2513 .
(8) Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), June 14, 2004.
(9) In a subsequent television interview, Dr. Hassan Abasi, theoretician of
Revolutionary Guards intelligence, head of the Revolutionary Guards' Center for
Doctrinaire Affairs of National Security Without Borders, and Iranian Leader Ali
Khamenei's representative at the Iranian broadcasting authority, said, "If the
interests of Iran are endangered, if our Iranian identity is endangered and our
civilization encounters obstacles, the Westerners must know that we will
certainly not allow tranquility to anyone. We will not allow anyone in the West
to sit in tranquility in his home while Iran encounters problems. Therefore, I
reiterate: If there is no security for our Islamic and Iranian civilization, and
if Iran and if our civilization are harmed, the others must certainly expect
that they too will have no security." Jaam-e Jam 2 TV (Iran), June 22, 2004.
VISIT THE NEW MEMRI TV MONITOR PROJECT:
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FOR MORE ON IRAN GO TO:
http://www.memri.org/iran.html
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