In what could be a concern and could further escalate the situation in the Middle East, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has hinted that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is acting independently after he said that the recent attack on an Oman port “was not our choice”.
The Iranian foreign minister made the remarks while speaking to Al Jazeera in an interview. According to Araghchi, Iran’s military are now isolated and acting independently after the joint strikes by the United States (US) and Israel that killed most of the country’s senior leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.ย
“What happened in Oman was not our choice. We have already told our armed forces to be careful about the targets they choose,” he said. “As a matter of fact, our military units are now in fact independent and somehow isolated, and they are acting based on instructions – you know, general instructions – given to them in advance.”ย ย
IRGC more powerful than Iran’s conventional military
The IRGC was established following the Iranian Revolution in 1979 by Ruhollah Khomeini. The main aim of the IRGC is to protect the Supreme Leader and safeguard the Islamic political system in the country. For its support to armed militant groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, the US has designated the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2019.
The IRGC even maintains its own ground forces, air force and navy. Khamenei had also granted the IRGC special powers to act independently as a private organisation. According to the BBC, the IRGC has around two hundred thousand troops, but it continues to dominate the military structure in Iran.ย
Middle East remains on edge
Meanwhile, the Middle East has remained on the edge after Khamenei’s death in joint US-Israel strikes, with all sides blaming each other for the escalation. Global leaders, including those in the Gulf, have urged Iran not to escalate the situation, saying Tehran’s battle is not with its neighbours. A United Nations (UN) emergency meeting was also held last week to discuss the situation.ย
Iran, however, has said it would continue attacking US assets in the region. On Monday, it also released a video showing an underground tunnel that was full of drones, rocket launchers and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which analysts believe that is an indication that situation might continue to escalate in the Middle East.ย ย
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