IRGC Commander: Iran Not to Withdraw from Righteous Positions

(FNA)- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari underlined that Tehran will not give up its rights, although it will continue talks with the world powers based on the Supreme Leader's guidelines in a bid to see how much the opposite side is willing to settle its nuclear standoff with Iran.

"The (heroic) flexibility (pointed out in the remarks of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei) means that we are not after war and it (flexibility) is shown in order to provide the enemies with an opportunity to pay attention to Iran's rights in different aspects," Jafari said in the Northeastern province of North Khorassan on Sunday.

Stressing that Iran will not withdraw from its righteous positions in different arenas, he said "heroic flexibility" doesn’t mean Iran is weak, rather it shows the Islamic Republic's power.

Other Iranian officials have also underlined that the new Iranian team of negotiators would not cross the Islamic Republic’s redlines in their upcoming talks with the world powers, while adhering to the Supreme Leader's notion of "heroic flexibility".

“The representatives of Iran in international talks should care about redlines and they should not forget the Islamic Republic of Iran’s general policies,” member of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Esmayeel Kosari told FNA in late September.

The senior lawmaker underlined that "heroic flexibility means honorable treatment of the enemy and the Supreme Leader’s notion (of heroic flexibility) is a tactic, not a(n everlasting) method, meaning that in some cases negotiation should be done softly and with flexibility and in some other cases powerfully and firmly". 

Kosari said the change is just in the methods of negotiations.

Earlier in September, Ayatollah Khamenei said he has long held the belief in “heroic flexibility” in domestic and foreign policy, but cautioned that the tactic which is very necessary on some occasions should only be practiced after one gathers deep insight about the nature of his/her foreign rivals.

“I agree with the issue that I called some years ago as heroic flexibility since this move is highly good and necessary on certain occasions, but with commitment to one main condition,” the Supreme Leader said, addressing high-ranking commanders and veterans of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in Tehran at the time, where he underlined his support for correct and logical moves on the scenes of foreign and domestic policy.

He described apprehending the opposite side's nature and gathering a correct understanding of his goal-setting as the main condition for using the heroic flexibility tactic, and said, "A technical wrestler also shows flexibility for technical reasons sometimes, but he would never forget who his rival is and what his main goal is."

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined the necessity of complete loyalty to Islam and revolution values, saying whoever is more loyal to the main message of the Islamic Revolution and can analyze the enemies' plots and behavior within the framework of the hegemonic system's challenge with the Islamic Revolution will be further exposed to the arrogant powers' fury and wrath.

His remarks came after Iran confirmed receiving a letter from US President Barack Obama.