Iranian Politician And IRGC Officer Brig.-Gen. Mohsen Rafighdoost Clarifies: When I Said Iran Has 'Hostages' It Can Eliminate In Case It Is Attacked, I Meant Israel And U.S. Bases In The Region

Iranian politician and IRGC officer Brigadier-General Mohsen Rafighdoost clarified in a November 9, 2023 show on Ofogh TV (Iran) his previous statements according to which Iran could eliminate "hostages" it is holding in the region in case of an attack on Iran. See MEMRITV clip number 10616 for details. Rafighdoost said that he had meant the "Zionist regime" and American bases in the region, which can be destroyed if there is a direct attack against Iran. Rafighdoost is the former Minister of the IRGC, a position which later evolved into Minister of Defense, and during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Rafighdoost was the head of Ayatollah Khomeini's security detail.

Brigadier-General Mohsen Rafighdoost: "The hostages that we have in the region [are] first and foremost, the Zionist regime itself, which will be destroyed if it really attacks our country. Then, there are the American military bases in the region, which, in some places, are present with the consent of the governments, and in many other places, like Iraq and Syria, have been installed by force. If, God forbid, a foolish act is taken against our country, and it is subject to an attack, these hostages will be destroyed."