Rouhani rebukes US for insulting IRGC, Iran defense force

Tehran, April 18, IRNA – President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday rebuked US Administration for insulting Iranian defense forces labeling Islamic Revolution Guards Corps as terrorist, saying that it was an insult to great Iranian nation as well. President Rouhani made the remarks addressing Army parades in Tehran marking the National Army Day. The president hailed the “very valuable role” of the Iranian Army in the days leading to victory of the Islamic Revolution 40 years ago. When the regime of the deposed Shah had closed all the airports of the country to prevent the landing of the flight of Imam Khomeini coming from his exile to France, it was Isfahan Army Aviation Service that did its best to keep the airport open and welcomed the return of Imam Khomeini, the president said. He said the Army Air Force played its valuable role in helping the Iranian people and Imam Khomeini in retaking the last strongholds of the former regime of Shah. After April 1 which was announced a national and public holiday by Imam Khomeini in 1979, Iranian Army Day was the second day that Imam Khomeini announced a public day to be celebrated on April 8 each year, Rouhani said. “It is now 40 years after that day and during these 40 years the Army has always stood by the people and has made sacrifices to safeguard the territorial integrity and independence of the country and the Islamic Republic,” Rouhani added. He cited the extensive flood disaster which affected different parts of the country, saying that the armed forces, including the Army, IRGC, volunteer forces (Basij) and the Police forces rushed to render rescue-and-relief operations to the flood-hit people. Noting that today major world powers, the US and the Zionist regime in particular, do not want stability, security, unity and brotherhood in the region, the president said that the role of the armed forces at this historical juncture is much more important than ever. President Rouhani said that the atrocity crimes perpetrated by the US Army in this region – from Afghanistan to Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other countries, have brought nothing for the region but misery, devastation and crimes against humanity. When the United States launched proxy wars in the Middle East and provided the terrorists with arms and heavy weapons enabling the terrorists to launch artillery attacks, the only force which could disrupt this wicked plan and brought it to despair was the Iranian armed forces, IRGC and the armed forces of the regional nations, he said. The president added that the US is angry with Iran for the 40 years of resistance, angry with Iranian armed forces for resistance to its plots, and is angry with IRGC, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Iraq’s al-Hashd al-Shaabi, Yemen’s popular forces and all the other popular forces in the Middle East.