WANA (Apr 05) – The Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami, stated: “We will not initiate a war, but we are fully prepared for any kind of war. We have learned the formulas to overcome this enemy and will not retreat a single step in the face of them.”

 

On Saturday, April 5, 2025, addressing IRGC commanders and senior staff, General Salami referred to the rapid regional developments and said: “While our Quds Force was simultaneously managing fronts in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine, and elections were held in our country, martyr Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated by the Zionist regime, which once again resolved us to take major revenge. These events continued with the tragic martyrdoms in the Pager explosions, the deaths of Hezbollah commanders, and the martyrdom of the spiritual leader and legendary commander of Islamic history, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, along with our dear brother, General Abbas Nilforoushan.”

 

He added: “From the enemy’s perspective, this act was the final blow to a resistance that had managed to entangle the enemy in the northern front for a year and support our brothers and sisters in Gaza through a war of attrition.”

 

Salami emphasized the magnitude of the situation: “On one side, you have America with all its political, economic, psychological, military power, backed by Europe and many hypocritical, reactionary regimes aligned with the U.S. And on the other side, there are the Muslims.”

 

He described this as “the most unequal war in history after Ashura” and said, “The enemy has come with full force to destroy dignity, identity, Islam, and leadership, but it cannot.”

 

Calling the story of Gaza “the most astonishing chapter in history,” Salami highlighted: “People living under total siege, without water or food, under ruthless bombardment, still read the Quran, observe hijab, recite the shahada, and stand firm, not allowing the enemy to prevail. This is a real battle of faith against the world’s most advanced weaponry.”

 

He pointed out that resistance is not limited to Gaza: “The people of Yemen, Hezbollah, and Iraq’s resistance forces are also standing strong. It is unrealistic to think that facing such a massive and evil front would come without any cost to Hezbollah, Palestine, or us. The enemy attacks day and night with immense power—that’s natural.”

 

He asked rhetorically: “But who is really surrendering? We’re facing a frustrated, nervous enemy that can’t defeat an unarmed nation. Israel is under constant defeat and global disdain. They lack psychological, political, or economic peace. They are like a zero beside the number one, which is America. The day U.S. support stops, they will collapse like autumn leaves.”

 

Referencing the recent confrontation and “True Promise” operation against Israel, Salami called it “a real war, a battle for survival, and a clash between two entities.”

 

“The operation showcased the greatness of Islam. The honor was that Muslims did not surrender—never,” he said. “It was a major decision, and a fulfillment of God’s true promise.”

 

He spoke of the enemy’s massive air defense in Israel: “The most densely defended region in history belongs to the Zionist regime. Compared to Israel, the U.S. has one-tenth the defensive coverage per unit area. The U.S. is an open sky; Israel is a jungle of advanced defense systems like THAAD, Arrow, David’s Sling, Iron Dome, and Aegis—all saturated with tech.”

“Yet, despite all that, when we launched our attack, 581 missiles hit the ground.”

 

Salami continued: “After our operation, the enemy tried to create the illusion that Iran’s sky is open, but the real issue was the vulnerability of their own systems. Our will prevailed.”

 

He emphasized: “If we or the resistance front were weak, why did the enemy halt in Lebanon? Why did they accept a ceasefire in Gaza? Why is Hezbollah still strong, and Palestine still fighting? Why does Yemen, despite repeated bombings, still roar? Even the Americans admit their bombings are ineffective. This is a dead end for the enemy.”

 

Addressing developments in Syria, he clarified: “We were not directly responsible for Syria’s defense. We helped during the critical times to eliminate the threats of ISIS and extremism—and we succeeded.”

 

He stressed: “Attempts to link Syria’s developments to Iranian weakness are strategic miscalculations. Our use of that land was to support the resistance front, not a sign of weakness.”

 

Salami accused the enemy of operating under false assumptions: “They think our deterrence is weak and try to corner us into submission or conflict. But we are the IRGC. We were born for jihad and defeating great enemies. We are the students of Ashura, even if it won’t repeat itself.”

 

He pointed out: “The enemy is stretched wide and within our reach everywhere. The Zionist regime is like a spread-out table before us. We’ve learned how to defeat this enemy and have implemented it in every aspect of our weapons and equipment. We have both the software and hardware to break this regime, even with full U.S. support.”

 

With conviction, he declared: “We are not worried. Not about war. We won’t start it, but we are ready. The thirst for jihad, to defend our existence and identity, is real—both among our armed forces and the people. We are prepared for any psychological or military move by the enemy. But we won’t take a single step back.”

 

Finally, Salami said: “We have access to our enemy. A great power has been gathered. If the enemy dares to unleash us to see what we’re really capable of, we’re ready.”

 

He concluded: “Iran is a great power—with a nation, a leader, a cause, and strong ideals. We know the enemy’s visible power, but in our belief system, the Quran tells us: even these powers can’t create a fly. That’s how we see them.”

 

“The resistance front is growing and advancing. The enemy can’t stop it. It hasn’t even shown its full strength. But if unleashed, the scale and fire of war will be beyond the enemy’s imagination.”