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Soleimani Says IRGC Fought Abroad for ‘Iran’s Security’ as Supreme Leader’s Representative Threatens Vengeance | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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IRGC commander Qaesem Soleimani, Reuters


London- Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani considered that Tehran’s interference in Iraq and Syria ensures security and stability back home in Iran.

The Quds force is the special operations division falling under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is an army that exclusively answers to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and not the government. The Iranian official administration, on the other hand, runs the national army.

Moreover, the Iranian Supreme Leader’s representative to the Quds Force, Ali Shirazi, had promised to avenge all Iranian soldiers killed in Syria. The representative swore revenge taken from Arab countries, namely the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Soleimani justified the reported deaths of IRGC soldiers, national army members and affiliated militants (belonging to the Basij forces), by vindicating that their death is in defense of the Iranian regime.

The Quds Force commander’s statements come at a time Iran relentlessly attempts to conceal piling numbers of Iranian deaths in Syria, which have been registered over the past few days.

The increasing death toll of IRGC members and national army soldiers in Syria was exposed over Iran-based online websites. Funeral services of soldiers, who died in Aleppo, were covered all over social and official websites.

Alternatively, Arab and Muslim countries condemned Iran’s interference in Syria and other Arab states.

Soleimani wrongly argued that defending the Iranian regime is hard-wired to religious obligations. He stated that any damages afflicted on the Iranian regime would right on affect Salah, the “Muslim prayer”. For five years now Iran has been warring inside Syrian grounds.

Promoting IRGC ideology and perception of revolution was the main motif justifying the group’s military presence abroad.

Khomeini, former Supreme Leader of Iran and founder of the Islamic revolution, had allegedly done an exceptional job that no other religious Shi’ite idol ever did over the past century, Soleimani clarified.

Soleimani’s statements were given off on the sidelines of a conference held in honor of 8,000 Iranian forces who had been killed in action, some of them in Syria, and who had originated from the Gilan Province.

The commander downsized the significance of international condemnations and Iran’s diplomatic isolation in the past.

“What is that (referring to international diplomatic fellowship), in comparison to preserving independence and integrity,” he said.