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Memri
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Mohammed Reza Naqdi, IRGC Deputy Commander For Coordination: 'If Any Grand Ayatollah Is Harmed, No American Will Leave The Region Alive'
In a June 28, 2025 interview with the Iranian broadcasting authority, Mohammed Reza Naqdi, IRGC deputy commander for coordination, warned that if there is any harm to, or attempt to harm, any Iranian grand ayatollah, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, no American will leave the region alive. He added that all American "diplomats, military personnel, officials, and oil workers" in the region will be either killed or captured, and warned that even a mere threat would not go unanswered. He also called U.S. President Donald Trump "stupid and moronic." Naqdi referred to statements by Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the supreme Shi'ite authority and director of the Howza Al-Ilmiyya seminary in Najaf, Iraq, where he lives. Sistani had said on June 19, 2025 that any threat of assassination against the supreme religious and political leadership of Iran would have serious consequences for the entire region, including total loss of control and extensive chaos. This, Sistani said, would increase the suffering of the peoples of the region and gravely endanger the interests of all.[1] However, it is important to note that Sistani's statements were not a fatwa, which is binding, and also that they included no mention of either President Trump or the U.S. Senior Iranian officials are choosing to harness Sistani's words for their own purposes, as if he had indeed issued a fatwa. This is apparently so that Shi'ites in Iraq or elsewhere will take action against Americans in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East – as Iranian officials refrain from mentioning the fatwas against Trump issued by senior Iranian grand ayatollahs.[2] Naqdi (Source: Sepahnews, Iran, June 28m ,2025) It must also be clarified that neither President Trump nor any other American official has ever issued a direct threat to Shi'ite grand ayatollahs or against Khamenei, as Iran's supreme leader – that is, against neither religious nor political figures. Trump himself has said that he prevented an initiative to assassinate Khamenei. Also notable is that as of late June, Iranian ayatollahs and senior officials have issued fatwas stating that Trump's punishment is the same as that for a muhareb – an enemy of God and Islam who must be put to death.[3] The following are translated excerpts of Naqdi's statements in his June 28, 2025 interview: Saying that "Ayatollah Sistani published a statement in response to [Trump's] threats," Naqdi called President Trump "stupid and moronic," and said: "Because of his idiocy, Donald Trump has not grasped the meaning of the message of Grand Ayatollah Sistani, and he [Trump] has continued to reiterate his moronic threats." "I am conveying to him the exact meaning of this [Sistani's] message: Oh Donald Trump, hear and understand this: If any harm, even the smallest, comes to one of the Shi'ite grand juristprudents [ayatollahs], whether [the attempt] is successful or not, no American representative will leave the region alive, and all the [American] diplomats, military personnel, officials, and oil workers will be captured if they are not killed. A repeat of these moronic threats, even if they are not accompanied by [actual] deeds, will not go unanswered. Shut your mouth and sit down in your place, you rude person."[4] To view more excerpts from Naqdi's interview on MEMRI TV, click here or below:
New York Post
14-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Israel targeted high-rise with incredible precision to take out top nuclear scientists in Tehran, photos show
Israel obliterated top Iranian nuclear scientists with incredible precision, according to stunning new photos showing single apartments blown out of Tehran high-rises. Aftermath pictures of the air strikes in the Shahid Mahallati neighborhood — known for housing military leaders and nuclear masterminds of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard — show just three floors bombed out and the rest of the residence undisturbed. 4 The bombed-out apartment in the Iranian high-rise is a residence supposedly known to be associated with Iranian Revolutionary Guard top brass. via REUTERS Advertisement Another photo showed a precise hole through the side of a building — again destroying just one apartment. Nearby buildings in the densely packed neighborhood appear to be remarkably unaffected by the missile strike. 4 Photos show the immediate aftermath of the precision missile strike. Sepahnews via ZUMA Press Wire / Advertisement It was not immediately clear which of the Iranian leaders were killed in the incredibly accurate strike but Iranian state media confirmed at least 20 key military and nuclear science officials were taken out during Israel's preemptive strike Thursday. Gen. Hossein Salami, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, and Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid were the IRGC leaders killed in Thursday's historic attack, the largest ever Israel has launched against Iran. 4 Merrill Sherman / NY Post Design 4 Israel targeted locations throughout Iran on Thursday in a sweeping preemptive strike dubbed Operation: Rising Lion. AP Advertisement Nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi, Ali Shamkhani, Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, and four others were also killed. The Jewish state also targeted numerous key locations of Iran's nuclear program in the Thursday onslaught, which continued late into Friday night.
Newsweek
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
How Iran Could Retaliate if Attacked
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A wave of strategic signals suggests the Middle East is edging closer to military confrontation. Israel has declared it is "fully ready" to strike Iranian nuclear sites, while the United States has quietly reduced diplomatic staff at regional embassies—widely seen as a precaution against possible Iranian retaliation. Meanwhile, Tehran has issued sharp warnings that any attack on its nuclear facilities will be met with a swift, destructive response targeting not only Israel but also U.S. military bases across the region. Amid this tense backdrop, Iran's multi-layered retaliation strategy is designed to impose significant costs, inflict strategic damage, and deter further attacks. Why It Matters The threat of an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear sites has far-reaching implications beyond the immediate conflict. Iran's warnings to target both Israel and U.S. military bases raise the risk of a wider regional escalation involving multiple countries. Disruption of the Strait of Hormuz—a key global oil transit route—could trigger economic turmoil worldwide. At the same time, ongoing nuclear negotiations in Oman remain fragile, with military threats undermining diplomatic efforts. Understanding how Iran might retaliate is essential for gauging the potential impact on regional security and global stability. This photo released Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, by Sepahnews of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, shows the Guard's equipment in a drill on Abu Musa Island, in the Persian Gulf. This photo released Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, by Sepahnews of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, shows the Guard's equipment in a drill on Abu Musa Island, in the Persian Gulf. Sepahnews/AP Photo Here are five of the most credible ways Iran might respond if attacked: 1. Choking Global Oil Iran has repeatedly threatened to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint where nearly 20 percent of the world's oil passes daily. Earlier this year, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders warned they are prepared to deploy naval mines, missiles, fast-attack boats, and submarines to threaten or temporarily close the strait if sanctions or attacks escalate. This capability to disrupt shipping lanes could sharply raise oil prices and apply global economic pressure without triggering full-scale war, highlighting Tehran's ability to control this vital energy route. 4. Proxy Forces Iran's proxy network—including the Houthis in Yemen, Iraqi militias, Palestinian factions, and Hezbollah in Lebanon—can launch rockets, sabotage, and covert attacks. However, Hezbollah has been significantly weakened by recent Israeli military campaigns and crippling economic sanctions, limiting its current capabilities. Despite this, U.S. and Israeli intelligence still see proxy retaliation as the most immediate likely response to an Israeli strike on Iran. In a recent interview with Newsweek, a senior Houthi official confirmed their readiness to support Iran in a conflict with Israel, highlighting Tehran's ability to coordinate a swift, multi-front response. Houthi supporters chant slogans during an anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, April 18, 2025. Houthi supporters chant slogans during an anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, April 18, 2025. Osamah Abdulrahman/AP Photo 3. Cyber Warfare Iran's cyber units, including the IRGC-run Mabna Institute, have targeted U.S. and Israeli banks, utilities, and military systems, causing economic and symbolic damage while maintaining plausible deniability. Recently, Iran claimed to have obtained thousands of sensitive Israeli documents, including details on Israel's nuclear program, which Iranian officials say could impact multiple countries. Iranian hackers have also intensified cyberattacks on Israel's critical infrastructure, such as water and energy systems, signaling a growing focus on cyber warfare as a key method of retaliation. 4. Drone and Missile Strikes Iran's arsenal includes thousands of ballistic missiles and a growing drone fleet, central to Iran's retaliation strategy. In April 2024, Iran launched over 300 missiles and drones at Israel in direct retaliation for Israeli strikes on Iranian targets—the first direct Iranian attack on Israeli soil. These strikes showed Tehran's ability to respond rapidly and precisely. Despite Israeli airstrikes targeting its missile sites to curb Tehran's growing military capabilities, Iran's defense minister has stated that Tehran has rebuilt and expanded its defences, maintaining a potent arsenal with many missiles capable of reaching U.S. bases across the region, including those in Iraq and the Gulf—significantly raising the stakes of any conflict. 5. Nuclear Escalation While Iran says it does not seek nuclear weapons, officials have warned that continued external pressures or threats to its existence could force a shift toward weaponization. Senior advisers to Iran's Supreme Leader have suggested that if sanctions return or Iran feels existentially threatened, it may abandon voluntary constraints and accelerate uranium enrichment toward weapons-grade levels—dramatically raising the nuclear stakes in any conflict. In this photo released by the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei salutes during a meeting with army's air force and air defense staff, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Feb. 5,... In this photo released by the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei salutes during a meeting with army's air force and air defense staff, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. More Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/AP Photo What Happens Next With tensions escalating across the region, the upcoming sixth round of nuclear talks in Oman takes on heightened urgency. The U.S. continues to seek diplomatic solutions while bolstering its military presence, aware of Iran's warnings about swift and significant retaliation if attacked. Meanwhile, Israel says it is ready to strike Iranian nuclear sites should talks fail. How successfully these negotiations address Iran's nuclear activities and regional security will shape whether Iran moves forward with its multi-layered retaliation options—potentially triggering wider conflict.
