Amid increasing US threats, Ayatollah Khamenei appoints new IRGC commanders

Tabnak – While the United States has recently intensified its threat of going to war with Iran, Iranian Supreme Leader has reshuffled the command of the IRGC. It comes a short while after the appointment of a new commander for the Iranian force.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei promoted Brigadier General Ali Fadavi to lieutenant commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), replacing him with Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi.

In a decree released on Thursday, Ayatollah Khamenei, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces, appointed Brigadier General Fadavi, who was the IRGC deputy commander for coordination, as the new lieutenant commander of the IRGC.

The Leader hailed “the valuable and worthwhile experiences” of Brigadier General Fadavi and wished him success during his tenure. In a separate decree on the same day, Ayatollah Khamenei appointed Brigadier General Naqdi as the new IRGC deputy commander for coordination.

Last month, the Leader appointed General Hossein Salami as the new commander of the military elite force, promoting him to the rank of major general.

The Leader advised Major General Salami to fully upgrade the IRGC’s capabilities and preparedness in all fields while paying due attention to the IRGC's “internal gem”, that is, piety and insight. Ayatollah Khamenei also called for major steps to be taken under the new command towards the all-out improvement of the IRGC.

Meanwhile and in his latest remarks, the chief commander of the IRGC said the enemies of Iran "have reached the end of the line" and despite their ostentatious appearance, they are suffering from "osteoporosis."

"This is the most decisive moment for the Islamic Revolution, because the enemy has come to the battlefield with all of its capacities at its disposal," Major General Hossein Salami said during a meeting with IRGC commanders on Wednesday.

He also warned that Iran is "on the verge of a full-scale confrontation" with the enemies," adding that they are trying to crush the Iranian nation's resistance through "the strategy of maximum pressure and by using all of their capacities."

The US has ratcheted up pressure on Iran since last year after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, dubbed as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Since then, the administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to reduce Iran’s oil exports to “zero,” and has sent an aircraft carrier strike group, a bomber squad, an amphibious assault ship, and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East to try to stack up pressure on Tehran.