Iran Says its Navy Will Protect Aid Ship Heading to Yemen

Iran Warns to 'Start War' if Its Vessel is Attacked

U.S. Warns Tehran against ‘Stunt’

An Iranian vessel, Iran Shahed, has moved through the Strait of Hormuz and is heading toward Yemen to deliver humanitarian aid, Iranian news agencies announced on Tuesday. The ship also carries relief workers and peace activists from different countries.

The UN has set up a delivery hub in Djibouti for distribution of humanitarian aid to Yemen. Iran said the aid vessel will be protected by its navy. It was not clear why warships should escort a civilian vessel carrying humanitarian aid, unless Iran planned to send the ship directly to a Yemeni port, instead of Djibouti, to challenge the Saudi-led naval blockade of Yemen.  

Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency quoted the deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri, as warning today that Iran “would launch war on any state that dares to attack the Iranian ship that is on its way to Yemen with a humanitarian cargo.” (Fars News Agency, 12 May)

“Attacking the Iranian Red Crescent aid ship will spark war in the region,” Jazayeri added.

The U.S. said today the Iranian ship carrying aid to Yemen should change course and head to Djibouti where the United Nations is overseeing humanitarian deliveries to Yemen. The U.S. Navy is tracking the ship after Iran said it would send warships to escort the vessel to Yemen, said Pentagon spokesman Col. Steven Warren.

“The Iranians have stated that this is humanitarian aid,” Warren said. “If that is the case, then we certainly encourage the Iranians to deliver that humanitarian aid to the United Nations humanitarian aid distribution hub, which has been established in Djibouti.” (AFP, 12 May)

“We call on the Iranians to do the right thing here and deliver their humanitarian aid in accordance with UN protocols which is through the distribution hub,” Warren said.

“If the Iranians are planning some sort of stunt in the region, they know as well as we do that it would be unhelpful and in fact could potentially threaten the ceasefire that has been so painstakingly brought about,” Warren said.

UPDATE: IRIN Rear Adm. Hossein Azad told reporters that Iran's "34th Fleet" is in international waters off Yemen and has the "responsibility to protect the Iranian humanitarian aid ship."  In April, Iran deployed Vosper MK5-class frigate Alborz (72) and its replenishment vessel Bandar Abbas (421) to the Gulf of Aden. Adm. Azad's reference to the 34th Fleet was to this deployed naval group.

File photo: Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL) Iran Shahed. The vessel is heading toward Yemen. (FNA)

Iran, P5+1 Talks in Geneva - UPDATE

UPDATE: Next Round of Talks in Mid-January

Iran and P5+1 today started their first round of talks in Geneva since the negotiations were extended on 24 November. The meeting comes on the heels of two days of bilateral talks between Iran and the United States.

In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif was quoted by Reuters as saying the region needs a settlement on nuclear talks in light of more pressing challenges facing it, like the threat of terrorism. “It’s in everyone’s interest,” Zarif said.

But the vice-chairman of Iran’s Armed Forces, Brig. Gen. Jazayeri, said in Tehran that there shouldn’t be much hope for a desirable outcome to nuclear negotiations. P5+1 and those sitting in front of us at the table, Jazayeri added, want to “limit our power.”

UPDATE: Next round of talks will be held in mid-January.

Iran Officials Criticize Kerry

IRGC Commander Major General Ali Jafari dismissed what he called U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's threat of military action against Tehran over its nuclear program, Iranian media reported.

Kerry had said that the military option was still on the table if Iran did not live up to its nuclear commitments under Geneva’s Joint Plan of Action it signed with the six world powers in November. Kerry made the comments in response to a question at WEF in Davos that what happens if Iran did not implement its commitments under the Geneva deal.

Gen. Jafari called the threat “ridiculous.” He asked Kerry to stop repeating “bankrupt strategies such as the use of military power.” Jafari added that such comments help the cause of the "revolutionary Islam."

“Mr. Kerry must know that direct battle with the US is the biggest dream of pious and revolutionary people across the world. Your threats offer our revolutionary people the best opportunity,” Gen. Jafari said. (IRNA, 25 January)

IRGC deputy commander was more blunt and repeated Iran’s own old threat.

“The interests of the United States in the region will be completely destroyed in case of any military attack against Iran,” said IRGC Brig. Gen. Masoud Jazayeri. (Press TV, 25 January)

On Sunday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said Kerry’s comments were in violation of international laws.

“These remarks are undiplomatic and have been made under the pressure of the opposition to Iran's recent nuclear deal with the world powers,” Afkham said. (IRNA, 26 January)

Kerry also elaborated on some of the outlines of a permanent deal with Iran.

“Iran must accept extensive verification, abandon plans to build a heavy-water reactor that can produce plutonium, and resolve longstanding concerns by the International Atomic Energy Agency,” Kerry said. (AP, 25 January)

File photo: IRCG Commander Ali Jafari in a press conference in Tehran in September 2012. (IRNA)

Iran Army Warns U.S. of 'Harsh Consequences' over Syria

Iranian armed forces deputy chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri, warned the U.S. of “harsh consequences” if it intervenes in Syria over the chemical attacks.

“If the United States crosses this red line, there will be harsh consequences for the White House,” Gen. Jazayeri said on Sunday. (Fars News Agency, 25 August)

“The terrorist war under way in Syria was planned by the United States and reactionary countries in the region against the resistance front (against Israel),” Jazayeri added. “Despite this, the government and people of Syria have achieved huge successes.Those who add fire to the oil will not escape the vengeance of the people,” he added. (Fars News Agency, 25 August)

Last year, President Barack Obama warned the use of chemical weapons in Syria would cross a “red line” and have “enormous consequences.” Today, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the U.S. military was ready to take action against Syria if ordered by the president.

“President Obama has asked the Defense Department to prepare options for all contingencies. We have done that,” Hagel told reporters in Malaysia. “Again, we are prepared to exercise whatever option, if he decides to employ one of those options,” Hagel added. (AFP, 25 August)

The rebels say Syrian armed forces unleashed a chemical attack Wednesday on areas southwest and east of the capital, killing hundreds of people. Assad’s government denies the accusations, blaming the rebels for the attack.

File photo: Iranian armed forces deputy chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri. (IRNA)

Iran Military Calls Israel’s Apology to Turkey “New U.S. Game”

Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces IRGC Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri said today in Tehran that Israel’s apology to Turkey was a “new US game” meant to “undermine the anti-Israel resistance movement in the region.”

“The Zionist regime's (Israel’s) apology to Turkey is a new game by the United States, the Israeli regime and Turkey to further affect resistance in the region, the Islamic Awakening in particular,” gen. Jazayeri said. (Fars News Agency, 23 March)

In a move brokered by President Obama during his visit to Jerusalem on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu phoned his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to formally apologize for a deadly commando raid on a Turkish ship in 2010. Erdogan, on behalf of the Turkish state, accepted the apology. The sudden reconciliation between the two regional heavyweights resulted in restoration of full diplomatic ties and reinstating of ambassadors between Turkey and Israel, which will have huge implications in the politics and relations in the region. 

Photo credit: Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces IRGC Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri (FNA) 

Commanders Authorized to Respond to Attacks – Iran Military

Iran’s military spokesman Brig. Gen. Masoud Jazayeri said on Saturday military commanders have been given the authority to respond immediately to enemy attacks. Gen. Jazayeri did not elaborate, leaving it unclear if Iranian leaders believe that an attack is imminent. His comments were posted today on IRGC’s website, sepahnews.

File photo: IRGC Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri (Press TV)