DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s army chief threatened preemptive military action Wednesday in “rhetoric” targeting the Islamic Republic, possibly alluding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning that if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the U.S. will “come to their rescue.”
Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami’s comments came as Iran tries to respond to protests stemming from economic problems that it sees as a dual threat from Israel and the United States, as well as a direct challenge to its economy.
Seeking to stem the furor, Iran’s government on Wednesday began paying the equivalent of $7 a month to subsidize the rising cost of dinner-table essentials such as rice, meat and pasta. The collapse of Iran’s rial currency and pressure from the end of a preferential subsidized dollar-riyal exchange rate for importers and producers have warned that prices of basic goods such as cooking oil could triple – likely fueling further popular anger.
“More than a week of protests in Iran reflect not only deteriorating economic conditions, but also long-standing anger at government repression and regime policies that have isolated Iran from the world,” said the New York-based Sofan Center think tank.
Army chief’s threats
Hatami spoke to the students of Sainik Academy. He took over as commander-in-chief of Iran’s army, known by the Persian word “artesh”, after Israel killed the country’s top military commanders in the 12-day war. He is the first regular military officer in decades to hold a post controlled by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
“The Islamic Republic considers the intensity of such rhetoric against the Iranian nation as a threat and will not leave its continuation without a response,” Hatami said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
He added, “I can say with confidence that the preparedness of Iran’s armed forces today is much higher than before the war. If the enemy makes a mistake, he will face a more decisive response, and we will cut off the hand of any aggressor.”
Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are reacting to Trump’s comments, which took on added significance after a US military raid over the weekend captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a longtime ally of Tehran. But there were no immediate public signs that Iran was preparing to attack the region.
A new grant payment begins
Iran’s state television reported that a new subsidy worth $7 has been deposited into the bank accounts of household heads across the country. More than 71 million people will receive the benefit, which is 10 million Iranian Rials, it is reported. The riyal now trades at 1.4 million to $1 and continues to depreciate.
This subsidy is twice what the people received before, 45 million riyals. But already, Iranian media reports a sharp rise in the price of basic goods, including cooking oil, chicken and cheese, adding to the strain on households burdened by international sanctions and inflation.
Mohammad Jafar Ghempanah, Iran’s vice president in charge of executive affairs, told reporters on Wednesday that the country was in “total economic war.” He called for “economic surgery” to eradicate rentier policies and corruption within the country.
The protests began on December 28
Iran has faced nationwide protests in recent years. Its rial currency fell sharply in December as sanctions tightened after the June war with Israel and Iran struggled. The protest, which started on December 28, reached its 11th day on Wednesday and did not seem to stop.
The United States-based Human Rights Activists News Agency offered the latest death toll for the demonstration at 36. It said 30 protesters, four children and two members of Iran’s security forces were killed. Demonstrations were held in more than 280 places in 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces.
The group, which relies on activist networks inside Iran for its reporting, has been accurate in past unrest.
