Politics
Iran’s Armed Forces will cut off any ‘hand of aggression’ against Leader: Spokesman
A top-ranking Iranian military official has dismissed recent rhetorical threats from US President Donald Trump, warning that any hostile action directed toward Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei would result in a devastating military retaliation.
General Abolfazl Shekarchi, the spokesperson for the General Staff of the Armed Forces, made the remarks at a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday.
General Shekarchi rejected recent threats by Trump, in which he said Iran’s leadership must change, as part of a broader psychological warfare campaign.
“We do not attach significant importance to Trump’s clamor,” he said.
“Trump knows that if a hand of aggression is extended toward our Leader, we will not only sever that hand, and this is not a mere slogan, but we will set their world on fire and leave them no safe haven in the region,” General Shekarchi stated.
“The enemies are aware of this, yet they continue their cognitive warfare. They know that if even a corner of our territory is violated, we will neutralize the threat before it can expand,” he added, citing the 12-day war of June 2025 as a historical precedent to this capability.
Bazaar’s resistance hailed
General Shekarchi also commented on the failure of the foreign-backed riots aimed at destabilizing Iran’s economy.
He specifically lauded the resilience of the Iranian bazaar and trade unions, noting they refused to participate in coordinated efforts to create chaos during recent unrest.
“One of the major scenarios during the 12-day war was to provoke turmoil in the market simultaneously with military pressure,” the general explained, saying that the strategy was a failure.
The Iranian general stated that the enemy attempted this strategy again during the recent riots, but it was once again defeated.
“As soon as the merchants and guilds realized that the enemy was seeking to exploit the situation, they did not delay for even a single minute. On the night of January 9, all evil groups and parties united and entered the scene in an organized manner. However, the merchants and guilds once again showed self-sacrifice here and disappointed the enemy.”
Manufacturing casualties
Addressing the nature of recent deadly riots in the country, Shekarchi said the terrorist elements employed a “bloody strategy” aimed at maximizing casualties regardless of the victims’ backgrounds.
He stated that more than two-thirds of those killed by the terrorist groups were innocent civilians, including youth and children.
The general highlighted the restraint shown by Iranian security forces, including the Police, Basij, and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
According to Shekarchi, security personnel often entered the field without firearms to prevent accidental harm to citizens, frequently placing themselves at extreme personal risk.
“Our forces were subjected to brutal attacks… They act as shields to protect the youth from being killed… our forces were dismembered, and burned with gasoline,” Shekarchi stated.
Iran was the scene of highly violent riots exploiting concerns about the rising cost of living earlier this month.
Authorities have acknowledged the legitimacy of economic grievances and vowed to address them, which are directly linked to unilateral, illegal US sanctions targeting Iran’s central bank and oil exports.
But they vowed to deal decisively with terrorists wreaking havoc across the country; terrorists supported by the United States and the Israeli regime.
Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran under the guise of supporting armed mercenaries, which he has termed “peaceful protesters”.
Last week, he called for an end to Ayatollah Khamenei’s leadership.
“It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” Trump told the Politico website.
On Tuesday, the national security commission of the Iranian Parliament said in a statement that any attack on Ayatollah Khamenei would trigger a declaration of jihad.
“Any attack on the Leader means a declaration of war with the entire Islamic world and must await the issuance of a Jihad decree by Islamic scholars and the response of Islam’s soldiers in all parts of the world,” the parliamentary commission said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a significant statement aimed at easing regional tensions, assuring that Iran will not launch missile strikes or take aggressive action against neighbouring countries.
The president said the decision was taken with the approval of the Interim Leadership Council, stressing that Iran’s policy of non-aggression will remain in place as long as no attacks are carried out on Iranian territory.
Commitment to Peace
In a message shared on social media, Pezeshkian said Iran harbours no hostility toward regional countries and expressed regret over the recent tensions affecting neighbouring states.
“We harbor no hostility toward regional countries and apologize for the recent situation with our neighbors,” the president said.
Sovereignty Will Be Protected
While calling for peace, Pezeshkian also emphasized that Iran’s sovereignty and national security would not be compromised.
He added that diplomatic efforts and mediation aimed at ending the ongoing conflict should be led by the countries that initiated the confrontation.
Regional De-escalation Efforts
The statement comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East following military exchanges involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, prompting calls from several countries for de-escalation and dialogue to restore regional stability.
DUBAI: Dubai has announced the implementation of a new public safety law introducing stricter regulations for public spaces and events, with fines ranging from AED500 ($136) to AED1 million ($272,000), authorities said.
Under the legislation, repeat violations within one year could result in fines of up to AED2 million, officials added.
The new law, which takes effect across the emirate on June 1, sets out enhanced safety requirements for public venues and gatherings.
The rules were issued by Dubai’s Ruler, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
According to the regulations, public venues and events must ensure safe entry and exit routes, adequate lighting, and capacity limits to prevent overcrowding.
Event organisers will be required to provide firefighting equipment, emergency evacuation plans, first aid facilities, and trained security personnel.
Compliance with safety instructions at public venues has been made mandatory.
The law also requires adherence to designated swimming times at beaches and prohibits access to restricted areas.
Possession of explosives or fireworks without a permit is banned, as is the use and transport of hazardous or flammable materials.
India has allowed an Iranian warship to dock as a humanitarian gesture, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Saturday, after the US sank another Iranian navy vessel off neighbouring Sri Lanka.
The Lavan docked at India’s southern port of Kochi on Wednesday, the same day the US submarine struck Iranian navy frigate Dena, after an urgent request from Tehran, an Indian government source told Reuters.
US President Donald Trump has said destroying the Iranian navy is one aim of the war he and Israel launched against the Islamic Republic a week ago.
The Lavan – an amphibious landing vessel, according to the US Naval Institute’s online news site – and two other ships “were coming in for a fleet review and then they got, in a way, caught on the wrong side of the events,” Jaishankar told the annual Raisina Dialogue event.
“I think we really approached it from the point of view of humanity, of other than whatever the legal issues were,” he said. “I think we did the right thing.”
At least 87 people were killed in the US attack on the Dena in Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone, 19 nautical miles off the coast, outside its maritime boundaries.
India received the docking request for the Lavan on February 28, the day the Iran war started, the source said late on Friday, adding that the request “was urgent as the vessel had developed technical issues”.
Its 183 crew members have been accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi, said the source, who asked not to be identified citing confidentiality.
The Dena was on its way back from a naval exercise organised by India, according to the drill’s website and Sri Lankan officials.
Sri Lankan authorities said on Friday that they were escorting the Iranian naval ship Booshehr to a harbour on the eastern coast and moving most of its crew to a navy camp near Colombo.
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