In a sharply worded statement marking Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Day, Commander General Mohammad Pakpour delivered a formidable warning to the United States and Israel, asserting that Iranian forces maintain their “finger on the trigger” and stand prepared to execute orders from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The declaration comes amidst ongoing regional tensions and follows widespread domestic protests that shook the clerical establishment in late December.
General Pakpour explicitly cautioned both nations against strategic “miscalculations,” urging them to draw lessons from historical experiences and specifically reference the 12-day conflict in June where Washington supported Israeli military actions. This confrontation resulted in significant losses for Iran’s military leadership, including the death of Pakpour’s predecessor, Hossein Salami, in an Israeli strike that demonstrated profound intelligence capabilities against the Islamic Republic.
The Iranian government has recently provided its first official casualty figures from the protest suppression, claiming 3,117 fatalities. Authorities categorized 2,427 as “martyrs”—including security personnel and innocent bystanders—while labeling the remainder as “rioters” allegedly backed by foreign powers. However, international human rights organizations contest these figures, suggesting the actual death toll may exceed 20,000 and attributing most casualties to direct fire from security forces.
Meanwhile, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Israeli President Isaac Herzog characterized the Ayatollah’s regime as “fragile” and expressed that regime change represents the only viable future for the Iranian populace. The Revolutionary Guards, sanctioned as a terrorist organization by multiple nations including the United States, Canada, and Australia, face continued scrutiny for their alleged frontline role in suppressing domestic dissent while maintaining external defensive postures.