Iran: US should be ready for 'strong slap in face'

TEHRAN, Iran (Kurdistan24) – The United States should expect a “strong slap in the face” if it underestimates Iran’s powers, said a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday.

“The enemy should not be mistaken in its assessments, and it will receive a strong slap in the face if it does make such a mistake,” said Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, the top commander of the Guards’ ground forces, as cited by the military’s website, Sepahnews. 

“Everyone could see today what power we have on the ground,” he said at the end of a training exercise with tanks, drones, and rockets.

“The message of these exercises…for world arrogance is not to do anything stupid,” Pakpour added.

Amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran, President Donald Trump’s administration is weighing a proposal to designate Iran's powerful IRGC a terrorist group, Reuters reported.

The IRGC is one of the most powerful entities in Iran which has widespread influence in the country’s politics and economy.

Although Iran denies the allegations, the IRGC is accused of having engaged in regional affairs and committed acts of terrorism.

Naming IRGC a terrorist group would have potentially destabilizing effects in the region as well as in Iran.

The new Trump administration tightened sanctions on Tehran after the latter tested ballistic missiles.

After the sanctions, the White House announced they were only “initial” steps.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis called Iran “the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.”

Trump, who had described Iran’s nuclear deal with the 5+1 world powers as “really, really bad,” also recently tweeted “Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE.”

He added the Tehran government should have been “thankful” for the “terrible deal” brokered by the former US administration under Barack Obama’s leadership.

Moreover, Trump has not ruled out the possibility of military action against Iran.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany