General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Commander-in-Chief of Iran's Army: America Is Like a Scorpion from Hell, We Will Squash It Underfoot; Our Conflict with America Is One of Religion and Values

General Abdolrahim Mousavi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, said in a November 4, 2019 speech at a rally celebrating the 40^th anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran that the conflict between America and Iran is about values, beliefs, and religion rather than issues such as human rights or Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Saying the America defines itself by its conflict against Islam, he compared America to a “scorpion from Hell” and promised that Iran is willing to pay the necessary price to squash that scorpion underfoot. The audience chanted: “Death to America!” The speech aired on Ofogh TV (Iran).

Following are excerpts:

_{General Abdolrahim Mousavi: America’s hostility towards the Iranian people is not limited to a specific subject, like the nuclear issue, nor does} it pertain to a specific person. The contrast between America and the West on the one hand and Iran on the other hand is strategic, not tactical.

Crowd: Death to America! Death to America! Death to America! Death to America!

_{General Abdolrahim Mousavi: The dispute between the regime of arrogance and the Islamic Republic is a} dispute of substance, essence, and roots. America has defined itself through its conflict with anti-arrogance Islam.

[…]

Our conflict with our enemies does not revolve around the nuclear issue, the missiles, human rights, and so on. Our conflict with America is about independence and about [our] refusal to surrender to bullying.  Our conflict with America is about ideals, values, and beliefs. Our conflict with America is about our religion. They will continue with their enmity towards us. They are like a scorpion from Hell – a scorpion whose nature is [to attack with its] poisonous stinger, and which will only stop its harassment when it is squashed underfoot.

Crowd: Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar! Allah Akbar! Khamenei is the Leader! Death to those who oppose the Rule of the Jurisprudent! Death to America! Death to England!

_{General Abdolrahim Mousavi: We remain steadfast and we will squash that scorpion from Hell under our feet, and we are willing to pay the price for that, as we have done so far.}