Iran’s Military Chief Warns of Strong Response to External Threats

Iran’s military leadership has issued a stern warning regarding perceived threats from the United States and Israel, following their support for anti-government protests. On Wednesday, General Amir Hatami, the commander of the Iranian army, stated that the Islamic Republic will not allow itself to be intimidated by external powers. This declaration comes as tensions escalate amid recent demonstrations against the Iranian government.

According to the Fars News Agency, General Hatami emphasized that hostile rhetoric directed at Iran is regarded as a significant threat. “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the escalation of hostile rhetoric against the Iranian nation a threat and will not tolerate its continuation without responding,” he asserted. Hatami warned that if “the enemy makes a mistake,” the military response would be more intense than during the conflict with Israel in June 2023, which lasted for twelve days.

The backdrop to these heightened tensions includes comments from U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump recently indicated potential U.S. intervention if demonstrators in Iran are harmed, stating, “If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States.” Netanyahu expressed solidarity with the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom, liberty, and justice during a cabinet meeting.

The protests in Iran, which began on December 28 in Tehran in response to soaring prices and the devaluation of the rial, have sparked similar actions across several cities. While these demonstrations have not yet reached the scale of the significant protests from 2022 to 2023 or the mass protests that followed the disputed elections in 2009, they have drawn considerable international attention.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has accused Trump and Netanyahu of inciting violence and attempting to undermine national unity within Iran. The June conflict was notable for an unprecedented Israeli strike on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, with the United States briefly participating by targeting three major Iranian nuclear sites.

As the situation unfolds, both domestic and international observers are closely monitoring developments in Iran, where the government’s response to ongoing protests could have far-reaching implications.