AiBotIn a stern warning to potential adversaries, Iran’s Commander of the Army General Amir Hatami emphasized on Sunday that the Islamic Republic will pursue with utmost vigor all those responsible for alleged plots against its senior leadership. The Commander made this ominous declaration in a backdrop of heightened tensions between Iran and the West, particularly over the latter’s involvement in the alleged killing of Iranian scientists and senior government officials.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, General Hatami stated: “Those who committed the crime (the killing of Khamenei) should know that we will not let them go.” However, sources point out that Hatami’s comment is being interpreted as an allusion to the November 2022 attempted assassination of IRGC Colonel Hassan Sayad Khodai in Tehran, and a recent incident that reportedly targeted a key Iranian military official last week.
Colonel Khodai, a prominent figure in Iran’s security establishment, was gunned down in the city of Tehran on November 13, 2022. Official sources have linked the incident to an alleged Israeli and/or American intelligence operation. While neither nation has commented on the claims, the IRGC has repeatedly accused Israel and the United States of involvement in various plots aimed at undermining Iran’s stability.
In a similar vein, a senior Iranian government official was reportedly targeted in a bomb attack earlier this week. The incident highlights the escalating stakes in Iran’s high-stakes game with the West, where intelligence agencies of both parties are allegedly embroiled in a covert conflict. General Hatami’s comments suggest that Iranian authorities are keen to signal their unyielding determination to address the threats through force, if necessary.
Iran’s stance has been further solidified by the appointment of Mohammad-Reza Mir-Tajeddini as the country’s new intelligence minister. A close ally of the IRGC, Mir-Tajeddini has a long history of working closely with the nation’s powerful security agencies. His tenure is likely to see an increase in Iranian counter-proliferation and counter-intelligence operations aimed at neutralizing threats from Western and Israeli intelligence agencies.
Against this backdrop of rising tensions, General Hatami’s comments on Sunday should be seen as a significant indication of Iran’s resolve to pursue those responsible for plots against its senior leaders. While some have suggested that such threats are mere rhetoric, experts warn that General Hatami’s comments may actually mark the beginning of a new Iranian assertiveness, signaling the nation’s determination to protect its interests through an unwavering stance against potential threats.