US no longer world’s number one power: Iran commander

A senior Iranian commander says that the US is no longer the “number one power” in the world and, consequently, is unable to wage a direct war against any country.

Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s second-in-command, made the remarks on Thursday in an address to demonstrators, who had gathered outside the former American embassy in Tehran to mark the 37th anniversary of the takeover of the mission by Iranian students.

“The US is now grappling with major crises and is no longer considered as the world’s number one power and the political will of the US cannot rule in West Asia,” Salami said.

The Americans “can no longer launch a direct invasion against any country, which means that the US war machine is operating without fuel,” added the senior Iranian military official.

Iran ‘showing patience’

Elsewhere in his remarks, the IRGC commander highlighted the US failure in honoring its obligations under last year’s nuclear deal, warning that the Iranian nation has so far remained patient with Washington’s lack of commitment to its promises.

Iran and the P5+1 group of countries signed the nuclear deal, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in July 2015. The deal went into effect in January, and resolved a long-running dispute over the Iranian nuclear program.

Under the deal, Iran agreed to limit certain aspects of its nuclear program in return



for sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, the US and the European Union to be lifted.

However, the Islamic Republic complains that it still does not have access to global financial markets. Many international banks still shy away from financing trade deals and processing transactions with Iran for fear of US penalties.

“The Iranian nation has always been committed to its obligations, but these are not one-sided commitments,” said Salami, warning that the Iranian nation’s “patience is not limitless.”

“If the US fails to fully abide by its obligations regarding the JCPOA implementation, the disabled centrifuges will resume working, and we will not stop at the pre-JCPOA level,” said the general.

He further said the Iranian nation “is determined to pursue its enemies no matter where to realize its legitimate rights.”

Salami also said boasting about recourse to the military option against Iran is a mere fantasy, adding that even the Americans themselves do not believe in such an option.

He underlined Iran’s military might at sea, on the ground, in the air and underground, stressing that Tehran is capable of destroying the enemy’s positions.

Since the end of the Iraqi imposed war on Iran in 1980s, the US has been trying to influence the minds of the Iranian youths through a “cultural invasion,” but the youth countered such plots under the aegis of Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Salami concluded.