In a recent Iranian TV interview, IRGC Brigadier-General Rastegar Panah said that Iran had the long-range missile capability to hit any necessary American or Israeli target. Stressing that Iran had improved its deterrent power, Panah, who is acting head of Iran's Center for Sustainable National Security Studies, said: "We will be able to respond in kind to whatever military action they take." The interview aired on Iran's Channel 3 on January 27, 2014.
Following are excerpts from the interview:
Brigadier-General Rastegar Panah: "What are the [American] military options? What do they want to do? What is this military option that they are repeatedly threatening to use as a trump card?" [...]
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Interviewer: "So you believe that the U.S. is not capable of attacking?"
Brigadier-General Rastegar Panah: "I believe that the Americans cannot attack us."
Interviewer: "Because there would be ramifications..."
Brigadier-General Rastegar Panah: "They are considering the pros and cons. Undoubtedly, if the U.S. resorts to the military option and attacks us on any level... They are fully aware of our capabilities.
"We take upon ourselves a commitment that with our nation, our people, and the values of our revolution, we will be able to respond in kind to whatever military action they take.
"Their military analysts are well aware of this, as they themselves acknowledge." [...]
"Today, we have capabilities of long-range missiles, which can hit any necessary target. We definitely have the potential to hit any American or Israeli target, but we are not the ones who initiate wars. We have improved all our capabilities of deterrence, and the enemy knows this full well." [...]
