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Former IRGC Commander-in-Chief General Mohsen Rezaee, who currently serves as the Secretary of Iran's Expediency Council, said in a September 22, 2019 interview on Channel 2 TV (Iran) that there can be no security in the Persian Gulf unless America, England, and other foreign countries pull out of the region. He said that America's presence is at the root of the lack of security in the region and that all the countries in the region will "become friends" the day America leaves. In addition, Rezaee said that America's inability to retaliate against Iran for downing an American drone is evidence that the U.S. cannot help defend Saudi Arabia. He said that Iran will eventually catch President Trump, who he said has "played all his cards," and place him on trial before an international court for the crimes he has committed against Iran and other nations. Furthermore, Rezaee said that China has been strengthening its relations with Iran and that the two countries are working on a 25-year strategic agreement.
Following are excerpts:
General Mohsen Rezaee: Commerce in the Persian Gulf has never stopped. The [export of] oil through the Persian Gulf has never stopped. If we had wanted to block the Strait of Hormuz or to prevent international trade, we could have done it. We did not do it and we did not let others do it.
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Look, there cannot be security in the Persian Gulf unless the foreign forces pull out. As long as America, England, and other foreign countries wish to remain in the region, the lack of security of the past 40 years will continue. So the first condition for security is the independence of [the region's] countries. There can be no security without the independence of these countries. The root of the [region's] lack of security is America's presence. The day the Americans leave the region, all the countries will become friends with one another.
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We forgave [Saudi Arabia] once after the [Iran-Iraq] War of Sacred Defense. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait had provided Saddam with $150 billion in aid.
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A sort of friendship began [between Iran and Saudi Arabia], but a few years ago we could see that they were betraying us again. The reason for these betrayals is their dependence on America. The way Saudi Arabia is serving America and Israel today is paralleled by no European country.
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We must be at the top of our [defensive] preparedness. But when the Americans are incapable of retaliating against Iran for the downing of their ultra-secret plane, would they be able to help Saudi Arabia? They cannot defend themselves, so how would they defend Saudi Arabia? Everybody has received that message.
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Ultimately, we will catch Trump and place him on trial, inshallah. An international court will convene and Trump will have to stand trial. He should stand trial not just for what he did to our people, but for his crimes against other nations as well.
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Mr. Trump has already played all his cards. He has already fired all his bullets. Now he is standing in front of us with no bullets, and the world is laughing at him. In the future, it will be even worse.
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Interviewer: We are seeing military maneuvers by Iran, Russia, and China in the Sea of Oman. Has our strategy of turning eastward entered a new phase?
General Mohsen Rezaee: It has indeed. Day by day, China is upgrading its relations with us. We are working on a 25-year strategic document with the Chinese. Before all this, the Chinese refused to participate in our maneuver. After [Chief of Staff] General Bagheri's trip to China, they agreed to participate in Iran's exercises.
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