Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stark warning to the United States and Israel on Thursday, cautioning against strategic “miscalculations” and declaring the force had its “finger on the trigger.”
The statement from IRGC commander General Mohammad Pakpour follows a period of heightened regional tension and internal unrest within Iran.
It comes after US President Donald Trump has repeatedly hinted at potential new military action against Iran, following Washington’s support for Israel’s 12-day conflict with Tehran-backed forces in June.
General Pakpour’s warning specifically addressed the two nations, urging them ”to avoid any miscalculations, by learning from historical experiences and what they learned in the 12-day imposed war, so that they do not face a more painful and regrettable fate.”
He further emphasised the readiness of the IRGC, stating, ”The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and dear Iran have their finger on the trigger, more prepared than ever, ready to carry out the orders and measures of the supreme commander-in-chief – a leader dearer than their own lives,” referring to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Commander’s remarks were made in a written statement broadcast by state media to mark the national day celebrating the IRGC, the elite force tasked with safeguarding the principles of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
This warning is delivered against the backdrop of recent mass protests that shook the nation for a fortnight starting in December. While the demonstrations have largely subsided following a severe state crackdown, activists report thousands of fatalities.
In its first official casualty figure from the unrest, Iranian authorities stated on Wednesday that 3,117 people were killed. A foundation for martyrs and veterans claimed 2,427 of these were “martyrs,” including security personnel and bystanders, distinguishing them from what it labelled US-backed “rioters.”
Contrasting sharply with this account, international human rights groups assert the high death toll resulted from security forces firing directly on protesters. They suggest the true number of fatalities could be significantly higher, potentially exceeding 20,000.
The IRGC itself faces widespread accusations from activists of leading the violent suppression of protesters. The force is designated as a terrorist organisation by several nations, including the US, Australia, and Canada.
General Pakpour assumed command of the IRGC last year after his predecessor, Hossein Salami, was killed in an Israeli airstrike during the June war – losses that exposed significant intelligence breaches within Iran.
Commenting on the situation, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, stated, ”the future for the Iranian people can only be in a regime change,” adding that ”the Ayatollah regime is in quite a fragile situation.”
