Iranian Chief Of Staff Threatens 'Harshest' Response To Israel

In an article released on Saturday, the newspaper also blamed the high casualties among Syria-based IRGC forces in recent months on "the betrayal of infiltrators."

"Have Iranian officials asked themselves why Russia, which controls Syria's airspace, does not prevent the Zionist regime's crimes against Iranian forces with its advanced air defense systems? Why don't such incidents happen to Russian troops stationed in Syria?" Jomhouri-e Eslami (Islamic Republic) asked.

The daily further urged the Iranian government to review its security protocols in Syria and adopt preventive measures instead of issuing threats after the deadly assaults.

The Financial Times reported Thursday that suspected Israeli strikes have claimed the lives of 18 IRGC commanders and advisers since the Gaza war broke out on October 7. According to the report, all of the slain IRGC forces were targeted in Syria, with 16 in Damascus, one in Deir ez-Zor, and one in Baniyas.

Israel's Monday attacks against Iran's consulate building in Damascus have been the deadliest since the inception of the ongoing conflict in the region, killing seven IRGC forces, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the highest-ranking commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force (IRGC-QF) in Lebanon and Syria.

The recent attacks have sparked many reactions in Iran, where government officials have time and again vowed revenge against Israel but have fallen short of making a decisive move so far. On the other hand, public opinion, particularly among social media users, points to the regime's inability to retaliate against alleged Israeli strikes, further asserting that the power claimed and vaunted by Iranian officials is only employed to suppress civilian protesters inside the country.

Zeraati hosted Aliasghar Ramezanpour and Mehdi Parpanchi, Iran International TV editors in his popular program, “Last Word” aired on Friday.

In the beginning of the program, Zeraati expressed his gratitude to all the people who sympathized with him, further calling the Iranian people as his most important source of energy and inspiration.

“I am committed to the pact I made with the audience and the program’s path has not changed, regardless of what happened and what will be revealed in the future about the details of the incident,” he went on to say.

Zeraati was stabbed outside his residence in Wimbledon, south London, on March 29, and sustained injuries to his leg. He was discharged from hospital two days later.

According to a statement by the Metropolitan Police, the motive for the assault remains unclear. However, due to prior threats emanating from Iranian intelligence circles against Iran International journalists, the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command is spearheading the investigation. The police said the three suspects involved in the incident fled the UK shortly after the attack, which occurred just a few months after a plot by the Iranian regime to kill two other Iran International journalists was revealed.

According to Zeraati, he and his wife have been transferred to a safe-house under police supervision since he was discharged from hospital. “I insisted on coming to the studio and resuming my program after a weak of postponement and the London Police and Iran International security team cooperated to make it happen,” he said during his program.

Many human rights organizations, trade unions, political figures and civil activists condemned the assault on Zeraati and demanded that the perpetrators be identified and punished.

On Tuesday, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) issued a call to the Iranian regime urging an immediate halt to the targeting of journalists. Meanwhile, Freedom House, a Washington-based NGO, called on British authorities to investigate the stabbing attack on Zeraati as a possible act of transnational repression.

Speaking in the “Last Word” program, Aliasghar Ramezanpour and Mehdi Parpanchi emphasized that the network, despite all the threats of the Iranian government, will continue its professional activities to provide vitally needed information to Iranians, who live under widespread media and internet censorship.

Ramezanpour, executive editor of Iran International in London, said: “This kind of attacks and threats are not new to Iranian journalists. The Islamic Republic cannot tolerate courageous journalists who speak out.” Referring to the widespread repression of journalists inside Iran, he added that Tehran has been trying to apply the same policy to Iranian journalists abroad.

The attack on Zeraati was not the first threat against Iran International, but just as previous threats and pressures had no effect on the work of the network, there will be no change in operations now, Ramezanpour pointed out, stressing that governments in the free world are legally obligated to defend freedom of speech.

Iran International television network, based in London and Washington DC, broadcasts news and views 24/7 on satellite to audiences in Iran. In 2022, Iran International temporarily relocated its television broadcast from London to Washington, DC, after police found information about direct threats to two other journalists at the network.

An Austrian national named Mohammad-Hussein Dovtaev on February 13, 2023. He was detained while filming outside the network’s premises. Iran International resumed broadcasting from its new London headquarters on September 25, 2023.

Participating in “Last Word,” Parpanchi, executive news editor at the Washington DC office, condemned the attack on Zeraati as “an attack on free media and freedom of expression” and called on journalists across the globe to react, stand up for journalism and defend freedom of speech.

“Unfortunately, it must be said that the Islamic Republic’s threats will definitely continue its policies. The use of knives, machetes and swords is part of the essence and foundation of the Islamic Republic which has been founded upon bloodshed and has gotten used to it,” Parpanchi pointed out.

He emphasized that Iran International will employ every tool and means available in free countries to hold accountable those responsible for the attacks on its journalists.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, British rights organization ARTICLE 19 voiced extreme concern for the safety of journalists against the threats of the Iranian government.

“The authorities of the Islamic Republic have shown, time and again, that they have no hesitation in using every tool in their armory of repression – from the brutal and unlawful killing of protesters, arbitrary detention of journalists and human rights defenders, to exterritorial threats and operations against dissidents abroad – to maintain their tight grip on power and conceal the atrocities they commit from the eyes of the world,” warned Saloua Ghazouani, Director of ARTICLE 19 Middle East and North Africa Programme.

“Congratulated him on his mandate renewal and underscored US support for him and the Fact-Finding Mission as they continue their essential work to document the Iranian regime’s extremely concerning abuses against its own people, which they have concluded may amount to crimes against humanity,” Paley wrote on X.

Rehman assumed the role of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran in July 2018.

“As the international community has made resoundingly clear: Iran must grant them unhindered access to the country and provide all information necessary,” Paley added.

The United Nations' Human Rights Council extended his mission and mandate on Thursday.

The Council also resolved to continue a fact-finding mission to enable the completion of its work, "including by ensuring that the large amount of evidence of human rights violations" pertaining to the protests.

The Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) was initiated by the United Nations Human Rights Council in November 2022 amidst the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police.

After 18 months of investigations, the FFM published its inaugural report on March 8, determining that the Iranian government bears responsibility for the "physical violence" leading to the demise of 22-year-old Amini in September 2022.

Iran's human rights record has long been under scrutiny, with numerous reports shedding light on various abuses perpetrated by the regime. Media censorship, internet restrictions, and the imprisonment of journalists, bloggers, and activists who voice dissent are prevalent practices.

Political activists, opposition figures, and members of minority groups often face arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, and harsh sentences. Reports of torture and ill-treatment in prisons, coupled with one of the world's highest execution rates, further underscore the gravity of the human rights situation in the country.

Hassan Ameli, the representative of the Supreme Leader in Ardebil, emphasized the need for a composed response, stating, "We will not make a decision regarding revenge against Israel based on emotional impulses." He further stressed the importance of a comprehensive strategy in determining the appropriate course of action.

Lotfollah Dezhakam, representing Ali Khamenei in Fars province, echoed similar sentiments, asserting that “Israel made a mistake that it now regrets.”

Mohammad Mehdi Hosseini Hamedani, another representative of Khamenei in Alborz province, also emphasized the importance of strategic patience in the face of provocation from adversaries.

Friday Imams' statements in Iran are commonly viewed as coordinated semi-official messages provided to them by a central office under the control of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Many analysts believe that the regime's longstanding strategy of refraining from direct conflict with Israel will persist despite recent provocations. Instead, Iran is expected to continue supporting its proxies in launching attacks on Israeli and US targets.

Iran supports various proxy groups across the Middle East, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and various militias in Iraq and Yemen. Through financial, military, and ideological support, Iran aims to extend its influence, counter perceived adversaries such as Israel and the United States and promote its revolutionary ideology. The proxies often serve as a means for Iran to exert pressure on regional rivals. 

"We're definitely at a high state of vigilance," the official said in confirming a CNN report that said an attack could come in the next week.

Israeli warplanes bombed Iran's embassy in Damascus on Monday in a strike that killed two Revolutionary Guard generals and five other officers and marked a major escalation in Israel's war with its regional adversaries. The Iranian commanders were reportedly involved in operations by armed militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah against Israel.

According to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, General Mohammad Reza Zahedi who died in the attack was a senior commander in its Quds Force, which is an elite foreign espionage and paramilitary arm.

Iran has said it reserves the right "to take a decisive response." The head of Lebanon's armed group Hezbollah said on Friday that Israel's strike on Iran's consulate marked a "turning point" since October 7, when Palestinian group Hamas launched an attack on Israel that has led to escalating regional tensions.

US President Joe Biden discussed the threat from Iran in a phone call on Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Our teams have been in regular and continuous contact since then. The United States fully supports the defense of Israel against threats from Iran," a senior Biden administration official said.