memri
April 23, 2019 Special Dispatch No. 8019

Dozens Of MEMRI TV Clips Of Newly Appointed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander Gen. Hossein Salami From 2005 – 2019 Available To View On MEMRI Website And Social Media Pages

April 23, 2019
Iran | Special Dispatch No. 8019

The Middle East Media Research Institute TV Monitor Project has translated dozens of clips of Gen. Hossein Salami, who today was appointed the new Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as part of its Iran Studies Project. These clips show Gen. Salami, previously the IRGC's Deputy Commander, discussing Iran's military capabilities and threatening the United States, Israel, Europe, and elsewhere. The full list of clips of Gen. Salami are below, from 2005 through the present:

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami: West Is in Crisis Because Leaders Are Ignoramuses Like Trump; They Lack "Smart and Spiritual Leadership"

In a speech that aired on IRINN TV (Iran) on February 25, 2019, IRGC deputy commander Hossein Salami said that the West is in a crisis of morality, human relations, security, poverty, economy, and politics because it has had an "unbalanced expansion of knowledge" and is led by "unwise ignoramuses who usurped the ruling power," such as U.S. President Donald Trump. He said that the West is advanced in chemistry, biology, and physics, but that its science lacks divine guidance and "smart and spiritual leadership."

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami: We Have Plans to Break America, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Cleanse World of Their Filth

IRGC Deputy Commander General Hossein Salami said in a speech that aired on February 19, 2019 on IRINN TV (Iran) that Iran's sword has been "drawn out of its sheath" and that Iran has plans to break the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and their allies and cleanse the world of their filth. He said that the Saud regime is awaiting death and that America is distressed and defeated. Salami added: "We will never lay down our weapons… This is who we are. We were not created for this world. We were chosen to wage Jihad."

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami Threatens to Annihilate Israel, Adds: Our Influence in the Region Is Based on a Spirit of Jihad That the People Relate to; We Can Expand Our Missile Force in Accordance With Our Military Strategy

Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of the IRGC, said on Channel 2 TV (Iran) on February 2, 2019, that Iran has the experience and technological ability necessary to expand the stealth capabilities, destructive capacity, and range of its missile force, and that it has not done so only because of strategic considerations. Explaining that Iran's current defense strategy is one of deterrence and that this strategy is not fixed, Salami said that any desire on the part of Europe or other countries to disarm Iran of its missiles might give Iran no choice but to make a "strategic leap." He said: "Let no one negotiate with us, recommend anything to us, or request anything from us" with regard to Iran's missile program. Salami added that the Islamic Revolution has inspired and given confidence to other military powers in the Middle East and that it has connected them to Iran in terms of policy, strategy, and security. He also said that Iran's influence in the region is a matter of faith because the people and Iran share a conviction regarding a spirit of Jihad and of revolution against the tyrannical rule of the Zionists, the Americans, the terrorists, and the takfiris. In addition, Salami threatened Israel, saying that it is vulnerable and bringing itself closer to death. He said: "If Israel makes a mistake that sparks a new war, they can rest assured that this will bring about their elimination... They will be annihilated before the Americans get here. They should look for cemeteries outside of occupied Palestine."

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami: Iran Is Powerful Enough to Prevent U.S. Invasion by Air, Land, or Sea

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami said during a speech that aired on Channel 1 TV (Iran) on December 30, 2018 that Iran's influence and the influence of Supreme Leader Khamenei have "managed to save important parts of the Islamic world from the political control of the superpowers and to light the illuminating torches of Jihad in those lands." He said that Iran has successfully tipped the balance of power in its favor and that it is no longer possible for the U.S. and its allies to attack Iran militarily because it has become powerful enough to deter invasions by land, by air, or by sea. Salami delivered his speech on a Day of Insight, which was declared by the Iranian government to celebrate the end of 2017's anti-government protests.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami: The Zionists Know Any New War Would Lead to Their Annihilation

In a speech that aired on Ofogh TV (Iran) on November 7, 2018, IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami said that there are Lebanese, Iraqis, Afghanis, Pakistanis, Iranians, and Yemenis in Syria, and that the "united Islamic army… necessary to wipe out the wrongdoers" has been formed. He said that the Zionists know that any new war they start would not just be in Lebanon and that it would lead to Israel's annihilation. Salami further said that the powerbase of the Revolution has expanded from the eastern Mediterranean to the north of the Red Sea, and that the Islamic world is being formed "as a basis for a new civilization." He added: "The scope of our missile ability has grown… Obviously, this is not our only capability, but it is the one that our enemy fears."

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami: America Cannot Withstand Our Weapons; U.S. Economy Cannot Support a War against Iran

During an interview that aired on Channel 1 (Iran) on November 3, 2018, IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami said that America has failed to achieve any of its political goals in the Middle East and that it is strategically confused. He claimed that there is no evidence to support President Trump’s claims that U.S. foreign policy has affected Iran’s behavior in the region, and that it has been Iran – not the U.S. – that has succeeded in affecting political, strategic, religious, and cultural developments that have benefited it in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria, and Yemen. Salami said that Iran has military response capabilities on par with those of the United States and that Iran can quickly threaten vital American interests and cut off American control of the Middle East. In addition, he said that America does not have the political unity or economic ability to carry out a war against Iran, which he said would extend beyond the region. Salami added that the American aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf are within range of Iran’s accurate ballistic missiles, and he asked: “Can they withstand such weapons?”

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Salami Threatens to Fire Ballistic Missiles at Aircraft Carriers, Enemy Bases in the Region in Event of War

In a recent TV interview, IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami described Iran's defense capabilities, saying: "We have begun to develop highly precise ballistic missiles, which will be able to identify targets moving at sea" and hit them "with 100% precision." With regard to its drone technology, Salami said that through reverse engineering Iran has produced a drone more sophisticated than the American RQ-170. He further said that Iran's "missile cities" were "completely concealed and unidentifiable, secure from conventional and non-conventional enemy attacks." "We have tried to spread our missiles all over, in a way that would enable us to fire various types of missiles simultaneously, while constantly changing the launching locations," he said. Salami was speaking on IRINN TV on February 3.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Salami: Our Destiny Has Become Linked to Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bahrain, And All Over Islamic World

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami said at an inspection of Basij troops in Qom, following the defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq: "This was God's promise, and it has come true this way. Ultimately, you have seen that it is the enemies of Islam who have suffered defeat." His address was broadcast on IRINN TV on November 28.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander General Hossein Salami Threatens Europe: We Will Extend the Range of Our Missiles to Wherever We Feel Threatened

In a November 25 interview on Iran TV's Channel 1, IRGC Deputy Commander General Hossein Salami said that "until now, we felt that Europe did not pose a threat to us, so we did not plan the range of our missiles to reach Europe, even though we can." He warned that "we will extend the range of our missiles to wherever we feel threatened." Salami's comments were made against the backdrop of French President Macron's statement about the need to deal with Iran's missile project.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Salami to the U.S.: A War in the Persian Gulf Will Not Be Limited to the Region and It Will Be Impossible To Control Its Escalation

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami warned the U.S. that a war in the Persian Gulf would threaten the security of the energy routes and would jeopardize global trade in the region. This would have a "political domino effect," said Salami, "gobbling up" the regimes in the Middle East that are dependent upon America. Salami, who was speaking in an interview on Iranian TV's Channel 1 on August 12, further said that the U.S. is avoiding war because of its consequences and is responding to Iranian vessels in the Gulf with panic. Salami mocked the American talk about inspection of Iranian military facilities, saying that this is "one wish that will be taken by its bearers to the grave." Iran, he said, has so many missiles that they have no space to store them.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Salami: We Have a "Jungle" of Missiles Ready to Be Launched at Any Enemy Far Away

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami said that Iran's drone technology was "at the forefront" of the field and was on a par with that of America, Russia, and China. Speaking in a Channel 2 TV on September 22, Salami said that Iran's "jungle" of missiles was "kept in tunnels, silos, and special headquarters" and that they were "ready to be launched in any direction and toward any target we wish."

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Salami on Qods Day: Over 100,000 Missiles in Lebanon Alone Are Ready to Strike at the Heart of Israel; Today, More than Ever, Its Annihilation Is Imminent

Speaking at a sermon in Tehran prior to the Friday prayers marking Qods Day, on July 1, 2016, IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami said that the ground is ready today for the annihilation of the Zionist regime, elaborating that over 100,000 missiles were waiting in Lebanon alone and that tens of thousands of other missiles were placed throughout the Muslim world in order to wipe "the accursed black dot" from the map of the world. Salami also threatened Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq to keep their promises, saying that Iran would "completely destroy any place that constitutes a threat to our regime." The sermon was broadcast on IRIB TV.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Salami Threatens to Prevent the U.S. from Free Passage through the Hormuz Strait

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami warned the U.S. and its allies in the region that if they threatened Iran, Iran would prevent their vessels from passing the Hormuz Strait. "We will take whatever steps are necessary," he said in the Iranian Channel 1 TV interview, which aired on May 3, 2016.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami: Our Missiles, Drones Can Target U.S. Aircraft Carriers Anywhere in the Region

In a recent TV interview, IRGC Deputy Commander Brigadier-General Hossein Salami said that Iran was capable We are capable "of targeting [U.S.] airbases anywhere in the region" by means of its stealth missiles. "Their aircraft carriers are completely within the range of our ballistic missiles," he said. Salami further said that Iran has long-range combat drones capable of attacking "air bases and aircraft carriers alike." The interview aired on IRINN TV on September 15, 2015.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Salami: "We Welcome War with the Americans"

In an Iranian TV interview, IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami threatened the Americans, saying: "We welcome war with the Americans." The U.S. aircraft carriers would be destroyed, its air bases in the region burned, and the skies set ablaze, he said. "We have built our strength for the purpose of long, extended wars... more than for the purpose of peace, compromise, and dialogue with them," said Salami. The interview aired on the Iran TV's Channel 1 on May 6, 2015.

 

Iranian General Salami: We Tested Sinking Aircraft Carriers with Cruise and Ballistic Missiles

In an Iranian TV interview, IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami said that after years of research, they had tested the use of a ballistic missile against a ship when he was IRGC airforce commander. "This missile demonstrated that we were one step closer to destroying an aircraft carrier," he said in the interview, which aired on IRINN on February 9, 2015.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami Threatens Retaliation against Israel, Says: Collapse of Israel More Important than Nuclear Issue

In a recent TV interview, IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami treatened retaliation for the Quneitra attack, saying that the IRGC and Hizbullah "leave no attack without retaliation and revenge." On another issue, he said that "the very existence of the Zionist entity and its collapse" are ""far more significant than the nuclear issue." Salami was speaking on the Iranian Al-Alam TV, in an interview that aired on January 25, 2015.

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami: We Have Denied Our Enemy Any Military Option

In a November 29, 2014 interview with Iran's Channel 1 TV, IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami said: "We have denied our enemy any military option." He further said: "We have created an invincible balance of deterrence vis-à-vis the enemy."

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami: We Are Ready to Annihilate the Zionist Entity in the Future

Speaking at a conference held in Tehran, IRGC Deputy Commander Brigadier-General Hossein Salami said: “We, here, can muster all our energies in order to annihilate the Zionist entity, more than 1,400 kilometers away. We are ready for that moment in the future.”

 

IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami: If Muslims Unite, US Political Breathing Space Will Be Limited

Following are excerpts from an interview with Hossein Salami, IRGC deputy commander, which aired on Channel 1, Iranian TV and was posted on the Internet on February 1, 2014:

 

General Hossein Salami, Deputy Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps: Israel Hangs between Life and Death; The US Is on a Slippery Slope

Following are excerpts from an interview with General Hossein Salami, deputy commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, which aired on Iranian channel 2 TV on July 4, 2011:

 

Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Air Force, General Hosein Salami: We Are Capable of Blocking Oil Export from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman with Our Missiles, "You Don't Need to Hear this From FOX News"

Following are excerpts from an interview with General Hosein Salami, Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Air Force, which aired on Jaam-e Jam 3 TV on April 4, 2006.

 

Former Top Iranian Revolutionary Guard Officer, Hosein Salami: Our "Security Belt" Covers a Range of 2,000 km. If Iran Wishes, It Can Cause Turbulence in the Region

The following are excerpts from an interview with Hosein Salami, former deputy commander of operations of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. The interview was conducted by Jaam-e-Jam 3 TV on January 26, 2005:

Share this Report: