The head of Iran’s Basij Force says Washington’s condemnation of Iran’s latest ballistic missile test indicates the United States still pursues the path of confrontation with Iran. Brigadier General Gholam Hossein Gheibparvar also claimed “America everyday makes its enmity toward Iran clearer,” and that Washington’s hostile policies vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic will not change under the new Trump administration. His remark came as tension between Washington and Tehran over the latter’s controversial ballistic missile tests is escalating.
To confront the United States, Gheibparvar suggested that Iran must stand on its own feet. “They did not sell a bullet to us in the past, but today our country’s missile production has become a common catchphrase because we believed in ourselves,” he added.
The leaders of the Basij and the Islamic Revolution Guards Crops (I.R.G.C.) persistently propagate anti-Americanism and emphasize on self-reliance because enmity with the West benefits them both financially and politically. The I.R.G.C. – which is now also in charge of the Basij Organization – is not just a military institution in the Islamic Republic. It also dominates the Iranian economic and industrial sectors and has expanded its presence and influence in all political arenas. IRGC leaders, similar to conservative clerics, are the strongest opponents of any rapprochement between Tehran and the West.
