New IRGC commander focusing on his strengths: WMD and assymetrical warfare
WASHINGTON — The new commander of Iran's elite military force is charged with developing weapons of mass destruction.A report by the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute asserted that Gen. Mohammed Ali Aziz Jaafari, the new commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), would focus on building Iran's military capabilities. The report said that unlike his predecessor, Jaafari was not involved in regime politics and would focus on enhancing Iran's missile arsenal.
"In speeches he has given since his appointment, Jaafari has outlined the strategy he means to promote as IRGC commander, reiterating his commitment to developing Iran's ballistic missile capabilities and the asymmetrical warfare capacities of the IRGC," the report, dated Sept. 19, said.
A military truck carries a long-range Iranian Shihab-3 missile during an annual military parade in Tehran. AFP/Atta Kenare
On Sept. 1, Jaafari replaced IRGC commander Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi in what was regarded as an unexpected appointment. Safavi, commander of IRGC for a decade, was replaced amid dissatisfaction by Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei with rising domestic unrest. Safavi was said to have threatened to resign several times as part of a power struggle.