Iran security chief says US, Israel seeking ‘disintegration of Iran’

TEHRAN: Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani said on Saturday that the United States and Israel were seeking to break the Islamic republic apart.

“Their issue was… the fundamental disintegration of Iran,” said Larijani in a pre-recorded interview broadcast on state TV.

On February 28, the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran that killed its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggered a war in the Middle East.

Iran responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as US interests across the region.

Also read: Iran Guards say launched more than 40 missiles at US, Israeli targets

Larijani said the US was seeking to replicate in Iran a scenario similar to Venezuela, where interim president Delcy Rodriguez has cooperated with it under threat of violence after Washington ousted her boss, Nicolas Maduro.

“I think the most important problem the Americans have is that they do not understand the context of West Asia, especially Iran,” said Larijani.

“Their perception was that it would be like Venezuela – they would strike, take control and it would be over – but now they are trapped.”

Larijani reiterated warnings against inciting Iranian Kurds after US President Donald Trump said he backed a Kurdish offensive in the Islamic republic.

“The armed forces had clearly told these groups (Kurds), ‘if you make a mistake, we will bring you to account’,” he said.