As the November 24, 2014 deadline for the Joint Plan of Action between Iran and the P5+1 approached, and as global oil prices have dropped sharply - severely impacting the Iranian economy - Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as Iranian officials, mostly from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), have within a short span of six weeks significantly ratcheted up their calls to annihilate Israel. IRGC officials emphasized the missile capabilities of Iran and of the Palestinian factions that it arms, saying that these will hasten Israel's elimination.
One major motif in statements during this time by Iranian regime officials is the arming of the West Bank. At an Islamic conference in Tehran in late November 2014, Khamenei reiterated the promise he had made several months previously, that the West Bank will be armed with missiles, as Gaza had been armed, and that Israel's security would deteriorate by the day. IRGC commander Mohammad Ali Jafari predicted that Israel would be eliminated thanks to the missile capabilities of the resistance factions, and his deputy, Hossein Mohammad Salami, stated that the West Bank would become hell for Israel, whose destruction is imminent. Basij commander Mohammad Reza Naqdi said that Iran was determined to hold victory prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Furthermore, Hossein Sheikholeslam, secretary-general of the Tehran-based Committee for Support for the Palestinian Intifada and an advisor to Majlis speaker Ali Larijani, said that Iran was committed to implementing Iranian regime founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's call to destroy Israel, and called on Palestinians to launch an intifada as "the most peaceful way" to regain their stolen lands. Members of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy committee stressed that Leader Khamenei had ordered the West Bank armed in order to hasten Israel's annihilation and that Iran intended to follow those orders.
Also, Tasmimnews.com, which is affiliated with the IRGC, threatened, on December 4, 2014, that in its next confrontation with Israel, Hizbullah will use its Iranian missiles to attack five infrastructure and energy centers in Haifa, including Haifa Port, the Petrochemical Industries, the Electric Corporation, the Matam Scientific Industries Center, and the city's subway system.[1]
This paper will review statements by Iranian officials announcing the coming annihilation of Israel:
Leader Khamenei: "This Barbaric, Wolfllike & Infanticidal Regime Of #Israel Which Spares No Crime Has No Cure But To Be Annihilated"
On November 8, 2014, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei tweeted, "This barbaric, wolflife & infanticidal regime of #Israel which spares no crime has no cure but to be annihilated."
In a November 25, 2014 speech at the International Conference on Extremist and Takfiri Groups in View of Muslim Scholars, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stressed the importance of the Palestine issue: "Do not let the issue of Palestine, Jerusalem, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque be forgotten... The Zionist regime intends to occupy Jerusalem, occupy the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and weaken the Palestinians as much as possible in light of the fact that they are ignored by the Islamic world, every member of the public, and the Islamic nations.
Khamenei's promise to arm the West Bank on his office's Facebook page (Source: Facebook.com/www.Khamenei)
"We thank God that the Islamic Republic, its government, and its nation are united on this matter. Iran's government and our exalted Imam [Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini] have said from outset that our policy is support for Palestine and hostility towards the Zionist regime. This policy continues to this day; we have not deviated from this line for 35 years, and our nation stands with us with a strong will on this matter.
"Every so often, when young people turn to us but receive no response, they write to me begging, 'Let us go fight the Zionist regime on the front lines.' The [Iranian] nation yearns to fight the Zionists, and the Islamic Republic has shown this... I have already said this, and this will indeed come to pass. The West Bank must arm itself like Gaza and be prepared for defense... The Zionist regime is much weaker than it once was."[2]
In a speech to Basij officials on November 27, 2014, Khamenei added: "Security in Israel is destabilizing daily. [The Americans] must know that Israel will not be safe, whether or not there is a nuclear deal."[3]
In early December 2014, Khamenei's office launched a media campaign titled "We Love Fighting the Zionists." On December 1, 2014, it published a poster showing young people holding signs saying "We Yearn to Fight Israel" and quoting Khamenei's November 25 speech: "Every so often, when young people turn to us and receive no reply, they write to me begging, 'Let us go fight the Zionist regime on the front lines.' The [Iranian] nation yearns to fight the Zionists, and the Islamic Republic has shown this."
The poster from Khamenei's website: Young Iranians Yearn to Fight Israel (Source: Fars.khamenei.ir)
On December 2, 2014, Khamenei's office launched an Instagram account (Instagram.com/ fightingthezionists) linked to Khamenei's official Instagram account (Instagram.com/ Khamenei_ir), encouraging users to upload photos and posters expressing their willingness to fight Israel (see below). As of December 16, 2014, the account had 4,600 followers and featured 402 photos and posters.
Khamenei's office encourages Instagram followers to upload photos to the campaign (Source: Instagram.com/fightingthezionists)
Photos from the campaign. Young men hold signs saying "The Iranian nation loves fighting Zionism" (Source: Instagram.com/fightingthezionists)
Khamenei Associate: "Today, Iran's Sword Is Stuck In The Throat Of Israel's Accursed Regime"
In a November 12, 2014 speech in Qom, Mehdi Taeb, head of the Ammar Base think tank and an advisor to Leader Khamenei, said: "Today, Iran's sword is stuck in the throat of Israel's accursed regime, and according to the orders of Islamic Republic founder Khomeini, this oppressive regime must be eliminated from the world map... The Imam Khomeini saw the Basij [as a force] that would destroy the Zionist regime, and today, by the grace of God, Iran is besieging Israel with these popular forces."[4]
IRGC Commander: "All The Occupied Territories Are Within Range Of The Rockets Of The Resistance - Which Spells The Fall Of The Zionist Regime"
On November 24, 2014, IRGC Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari said: "Today, all the occupied territories [i.e. Israel] are within range of the rockets of the resistance - which spells the fall of the Zionist regime. Of course this doesn't end here; the final liberation [of Palestine] will surely be realized. Our war will bring about Palestine's victory."[5]
IRGC Deputy Commander: "Soon, There Will Be No Such Thing As The Zionist Regime On Planet Earth"
In an interview with Iranian TV on November 30, 2014, IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami said: "Iran will allow no developments [in the region] that benefit the Zionist regime, because this is not in line with the logic of the [Islamic] Revolution... We will reach every oppressed person asking for help, anywhere in the world... Did the Americans succeed in rescuing the Zionist regime from defeat in the 2006 Lebanon war and the other wars? The Palestinians in the West Bank have not abandoned their goals, and the day will come when the West Bank becomes hell for the Zionist regime - and one day we will see the sons of the West Bank shaking hands with the sons of Gaza."[6]
On December 3, 2014, Salami told a student conference, "Today we are aware of how the Zionist regime is slowly being erased from the world, and indeed, soon, there will be no such thing as the Zionist regime on Planet Earth."[7]
IRGC Aerospace Force And Missile Unit Commander: Thanks To Iran, Tel Aviv Is Under Fire From Gaza And Hizbullah Fighters
On November 29, 2014, IRGC Aerospace Force and Missile Unit commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh said, "Thanks to Iran's support, Tel Aviv is currently under a crisscross of fire from Gaza and Hizbullah fighters. The oppressive and accursed Zionist regime cannot withstand the resistance front and is destined to be defeated..."[8]
IRGC Qods Force Deputy Commander: Israel Is One Of The World's Most Unsafe Places
In a December 5, 2014 speech in Mashhad, IRGC Qods Force Deputy Commander Esmail Qaani said: "Israel is one of the world's most unsafe places. America's chief mission is to preserve the security of the Zionist regime, but Hizbullah can level that country with its missiles."[9]
IRGC Naval Official: Israel Will Be Destroyed In The Near Future
On November 27, 2014, IRGC Second Naval Zone Rear Adm. Ali Razmjou said, "The Zionist regime moves closer to its collapse every day, and will be shattered and eliminated from the world map in the near future, thanks to the resistance of Basij and Hizbullah members throughout the world."[10]
Basij Commander: We Are Determined To Hold Victory Prayers At Al-Aqsa Mosque
At a November 26, 2014 Basij conference, Basij Commander Mohammad Reza Naqdi said, "The cowardly enemy should know that the Iranian nation will not reconcile with America and the Zionist regime... [IRGC Qods Force Commander Qassem] Soleimani is the general of Islam on the front lines of the jihad to liberate Jerusalem... The Iranian nation and the Basij members are determined to hold victory and liberation prayers led by the Imam [Khamenei] at Al-Aqsa Mosque."[11]
IRGC Aerospace Force Deputy Commander: Hizbullah And Palestinian Resistance Can Strike Anywhere In Israel
IRGC Aerospace Force Deputy Commander Majid Mousavi told the Fars news agency in a November 12, 2014 interview: "The policy of the Islamic Republic [of Iran] regarding support for the resistance forces and the resistance front is to provide them with the ability to build and produce the products by themselves... With regard to the ranges of missiles, [the resistance organizations] can now use their missiles to strike all targets in the occupied territories [Israel], both in the south and the north. According to statements, these organizations have classified capabilities for widespread missile operations up to the level of Fateh missiles [with a range of 250-300 km]..."[12]
Fars: With Iran Equipping It With Missiles, The Resistance Can "Wreak Havoc On [Israel's] Navy... And Huge Gas Reserves"
An article titled "The Illusion Of Israel's Natural Gas Will Be Buried In The Mediterranean," published by Fars on November 29, 2014, stated: "In recent years, the Zionist regime has discovered natural gas resources in the Mediterranean, particularly the Tamar gas field, which is 80 km from Haifa port, and the Leviathan, which is five kilometers underwater... [They] will be suitable targets for Hizbullah's Fateh naval missiles... These fields begin from the area of Ras Al-Naqoura [Rosh HaNikra in Israel] which is close to the Lebanon border, and end at Ashkelon beach, on the northern border of the Gaza strip... In addition to these two gas fields, there are smaller fields - Mary B and Dalit.
"If, eight years ago [during the 2006 Lebanon war], Hizbullah managed to strike Israel's modern and advanced [Sa'ar] missile boats in the Mediterranean only with short-range cruise missiles, by means of equipping the resistance with Khalij-e Fars and Hormuz missiles (both of which are from the family of the Fateh missile) it will be able to wreak havoc on [Israel's] navy, anti-tank defense systems, and huge gas reserves."[13]
Committee For Support Of The Palestinian Intifada Secretary-General: Israel's Destruction Is Important, No Matter The Method
In a November 25, 2014 conference in Tehran, "The Need to Arm the West Bank," Hossein Sheikholeslam, secretary-general of the Tehran-based Committee for Support for the Palestinian Intifada and an advisor to Majlis speaker Ali Larijani, said: "What the Islamic Republic of Iran wanted in the region has happened, and will continue [to happen] in the future as well. In this context, destroying the Zionist regime is one of our demands. The issue of Israel's destruction is important, no matter the method. We will obviously implement the strategy of the Imam Khomeini and the Leader [Khamenei] on the issue of destroying the Zionists. The region will not be quiet so long as Israel exists in it...
"Intifada means giving one's life to obtain rights. Now, the Palestinians, who are the owners of this land, stand strong with all their might to chase away the occupiers. The intifada is the most logical and peaceful way to realize the rights of Palestinians, and one which will eventually bring about the destruction of the Zionists."[14]
Majlis National Security And Foreign Policy Committee Members: Arming The West Bank Is One Of Our Goals; Israel Is At Risk Of Annihilation
On November 28, 2014, Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee member Javad Karimi Qodosi said: "After 60 years in which the heads of Zionism invested tremendous efforts around the world, especially in America and Britain, the oppressive Zionist regime sees itself at risk of certain and total destruction. The proof of this is the struggle by the forces in Gaza and the residents of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, who are waging a bloody battle against the Zionist regime as part of their efforts to launch a new intifada against it... The meaning of the declaration of the establishment of a Jewish state in Jerusalem [referring to the proposed law on Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People] is Israel's annihilation.
"The current events in occupied Palestine will cause massive upheavals in the region in the near future, and these upheavals will prepare the ground for the Zionist regime's certain and complete destruction."[15]
On November 28, 2014, the committee's deputy chair, Mansour Haghighatpour said: "One of our goals is to arm the West Bank, because it is the best measure for fighting the Zionist regime."[16]
Tasnim: Hizbullah Will Attack Five Strategic Infrastructure And Energy Centers In Haifa
On December 4, 2014, Tasnimnews.com, which is affiliated with the IRGC, published an article titled "Israel's Five Critical Lifelines in Haifa Are Within Range of Hizbullah's Missiles" that gave details and aerial photographs of Haifa's major industries and the damage that missile strikes against them could cause.[17] The article stated: "Israel has five important and sensitive centers in the port city of Haifa near the Lebanese border, which constitute a critical lifeline for this regime... Most of the Israeli government and economic centers are located in the two major cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv. Haifa is more important with regard to [Israel's] economy and infrastructure, which is why it is called 'Israel's economic heart'...
"If we note that Hizbullah officials, including Hassan Nasrallah and Naim Qassem, have said that Hizbullah possesses accurate Iranian missiles, it is possible that in the next war, the Islamic resistance in Lebanon will target these centers in the first phase...
"Haifa Port: Israel's Economic Heart
"Haifa port is a commercial port, and every year millions of dollars of goods are exported via it to other countries, and goods are imported via it into the occupied territories [Israel].
"Aerial photo shows Haifa port and international airport
"Petrochemical [Industries]
"The regime occupying Jerusalem has large petrochemical industries at Haifa port, which produce various petrochemical products... for [Israel's] domestic use and for export, including large quantities of ammonia. Next to the petrochemical industries there are also large storage facilities for the products...
"Aerial photo of the Haifa Petrochemical complex and its storage facilities
"An ammonia leak from the Haifa port storage facilities will do great damage to the Zionists, because it would threaten all the Zionists living in Haifa. The Zionists were recently forced to evacuate residents from seven cities near these facilities due to a minor leak of this poisonous gas from one warehouse.
"The Jaffa Electric Company [name of the Israel Electric Corporation 1921-1923] Provides Power For All Of The Occupied Territories [Israel]
"The Israelis have a central electric company and the regime government controls 99.85% of its shares. The company's main control center is in Haifa, and it is responsible for 17 power plants in five locations in the occupied territories [Israel].
"Main electric company center on the Mediterranean coast
"Main building for the Jaffa Company
"MATAM [Scientific Industries Center] - Israel's Virtual Heart
"The MATAM complex is a small city within Haifa, and is considered the [Zionist] regime's leading science and technology park. This technological city, which creates Internet content, includes buildings and official representations of various world-famous companies. Phillips, Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, and IBM are the world's most important hardware and software computer and telecommunications giants - and all of them have offices in the MATAM complex...
"MATAM complex
"Haifa Subway - Israel's Train Traffic Center
"The Haifa train is extremely important because it transports thousands of passengers as well as goods throughout Israel every day.
"Haifa train station
"Haifa's central train station is located near the port, and so far has been struck by only one Lebanese Hizbullah missile, which killed several Zionists."
"Eliminate Israel from the World Map" cake at an IRGC and Basij conference in Tehran (Source: Mashregh News, Iran, September 2, 2014)
Endnotes:
[1] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No. 1135, Iranian IRGC Missile Unit Commanders: We've Developed 2,000-km Range Missiles And Equipped Hizbullah With 300-km Range Missiles; Fars News Agency: Israel's Illusions About Its Natural Gas Fields Will Be Buried In The Mediterranean, December 4, 2014.
[2] Farsi.khamenei.ir, November 25, 2014.
[3] Farsi.khamenei.ir, November 27, 2014.
[4] Snn.ir, November 12, 2014.
[5] Fars (Iran), November 24, 2014.
[6] Yjc.ir, November 30, 2014.
[7] Tasnimnews.com (Iran), December 3, 2014.
[8] Yjc.ir, November 29, 2014.
[9] Fars (Iran), December 5, 2014.
[10] IRNA (Iran), November 27, 2014.
[11] Javan (Iran), November 26, 2014.
[12] Fars (Iran), November 12, 2014.
[13] Fars (Iran), November 29, 2014.
[14] Fars (Iran), November 25, 2014.
[15] Namayande.com, November 28, 2014.
[16] Fars (Iran), November 27, 2014.
[17] Tasnimnews.com (Iran), December 4, 2014.
