WANA (Sep 07) – The Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami, said that the Zionist regime targeted 14 of Iran’s ships in the Red and Mediterranean seas to prevent oil exports. In response, Iran struck 12 of their ships. “When we hit their fifth ship, they raised their hands and asked to stop the naval battle,” he stated.

 

During a visit by President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters, Major General Salami said, “We were in a severe crisis: General Soleimani had been assassinated, the Ukrainian plane had crashed, COVID-19 was rampant, and the highest level of economic sanctions was being imposed. They were trying to isolate us completely. As the IRGC, we had to initiate a deterrent operation and create a barrier. We secured our shipping lines in the naval battles, broke the sanctions in practice, managed the population during the COVID pandemic, produced vaccines, and deployed all available resources to support healthcare.”

 

He emphasized, “None of the 380 large national projects currently underway has even slowed down. We were also controlling the phenomenon of Takfiri movements from outside. Had terrorism spread, Iran would have been its central target. We succeeded in closing all the pathways the enemy had opened. Today, the safest shipping lines belong to ships flying the Iranian flag.”

 

Major General Salami added, “The British seized our tanker in Gibraltar, but when we captured one of their ships and exchanged it, they surrendered. Greece seized two of our ships, so we took two of theirs, and they too surrendered.”

 

He continued, “We managed to shoot down their advanced drone. We were in a severe crisis: General Soleimani had been assassinated, the Ukrainian plane had crashed, COVID-19 was spreading, and the maximum level of economic sanctions was being applied. They were trying to politically isolate us.”

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters with the Presence of Major General Salami, Social media/ WANA News Agency

The IRGC Commander stressed, “The IRGC had to create deterrent operations and barriers to counter these threats in various areas. The first thing we did was secure our shipping lines in the naval battles.”

 

He also stated, “The Americans attempted to steal one of our ships with a warship, but our forces were closely monitoring them. No matter how much pressure the Americans applied to seize the ship, our forces did not allow it, and eventually, they left humiliated.”

 

The IRGC Commander remarked, “Currently, the safest shipping lines across all seas belong to ships flying the Iranian flag.”

 

Major General Salami added, “The Americans attempted to steal two of our ships headed to Venezuela. Along with General Tangsiri, I went there, and in front of their eyes, we simulated the seizure and capture of an American oil tanker. We announced it over the radios, and once they realized this, our ships passed safely.”

 

Addressing the new government, he said, “We have great capacity, both in securing the country against any aggressive actions by the enemy and in helping the government break economic sanctions. We assist the government not only in preventing defeat by the enemy but also in defeating the enemy.”

 

He continued, “All of the IRGC and Basij’s resources and equipment are at the government’s service to achieve its objectives.”

 

The IRGC Commander concluded, “We think of nothing but the success of the 14th government. Our relationship with this government, and any government, is independent of any political inclination. Our foundation is based on honesty, loyalty, and support, and this will continue to the end.”