IRGC Chief:

New Sanctions Signify US Desperation

TEHRAN (defapress) – Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Major General Hossein Salami slammed the new sanctions that the US has imposed on a number of top IRGC officials as an evidence of utter frustration and resentment at the downing of an American spy drone by Iranian forces.

News ID: 77890

Date: 26 June 2019 - 18:26

In comments on Wednesday, Major General Salami said the White House’s decision to impose sanctions on a number of senior IRGC commanders after the downing of a US drone in Iranian airspace reveals the US frustration, desperation and resentment at Iran’s power.

“This measure (US sanctions) was a passive reaction to the downing of the American super-advanced intruding spy drone by the IRGC air defense,” he said, stressing that the White House’s decision lacks any logic or rationality.

The general also described the US decision to blacklist the IRGC commanders and other Iranian officials as a “threadbare weapon” without any value or effect.

“Imposing sanctions on the IRGC and its commanders, who have caused the defeat of US evil strategies and policies in the region, is not anything new,” the general added, stressing that the sanctions would only strengthen the IRGC’s resolve to safeguard Iran and cut off the hands of intruders.

His comments came after US President Donald Trump announced new sanctions against top Iranian officials, including the office of Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s foreign minister, and senior IRGC Aerospace Force and Navy commanders.

The US had already blacklisted the entire IRGC, whose Aerospace Force units shot down an American drone that intruded into the airspace of Iran on June 20.

The IRGC said the ‘Global Hawk’ spy drone had taken off from a US military base in south of the Persian Gulf, switched off all of its communication systems, and flew towards the port city of Chabahar via the Strait of Hormuz in maximum stealth.

When flying back to the western part of the region, the unmanned plane violated the Iranian airspace near the Strait of Hormuz and began to spy on Iran and collect information, the statement added.

Major General Salami said later that the shooting down of the drone had a straightforward message that any foreign intrusion into Iran’s sovereign territories would draw a crushing response.

Message end/