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General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, spoke in an address before Basij students that was aired on IRINN TV (Iran) on December 1, 2023 about Iran's role in the Gaza war. He said that Iran "has done what it had to do." Hajizadeh explained that in the past, the only means of defense the people of Gaza had were stones, but now they have rockets and advanced weapons and capabilities.
Students: "General!"
Amir-Ali Hajizadeh: "Yes, please."
Students: "We want you to get us Gaza and Palestine."
Hajizadeh: "From where would I get them for you?''
Students: "Death to America! Death to America! Death to Israel! Death to Israel!"
Hajizadeh: "Look, some people ask what the Islamic Republic has done with regard to Gaza. The Islamic Republic has done what it had to do. Until not so long ago, their only means of defense was stones. Today, they are defending themselves with rockets, and they have advanced weapons and capabilities.
"The fact that a guerilla group has turned into a great force that… An army that 50 years ago defeated three [Arab] armies, and during these 50 years, has grown stronger by the day, and has added new weapons and capabilities, is defeated today by such a small group – all this stems from the power of Islam. This is the true path followed by the Palestinian fighters, the resistance axis, and Islamic Iran. Rest assured that this path will lead to an absolute and final victory."