Talking during a visit with active IRGC troops in North East Iran, Jafari reiterated the IRGC’s readiness to defend the country’s security and interests.

“The combined enemies have targeted the security of West Asia and the Eastern Medditerean in a dangerous scenario. But they should know that they are on their  way to an expensive and endless war,” Major General Jafari said.

“The deterrent warnings of the Supreme Leader to Iran’s enemies are serious and based on our capacities and realities with regard to Iran’s defensive power,” he said.

In his latest speech, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei answered to constant threats of Israeli leaders to attack Iran.

“They [Israelis] threaten us with a military invasion, but I believe even they themselves know – and if they do not, they should know – that if they make a wrong move, the Islamic Republic will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground,” Ayatollah Khamenei said on  March 21, 2013 in the gathering of pilgrims at Imam Ridha’s (a.s.) shrine in the holy city of Mashhad.

” We have controlled and managed all possible scenarios and strategies of the internal and external enemies in the north west region of Iran,” he said.

General Jafari then reacted to US and western presence in the Persian Gulf, evaluating them as unable to maintain the security of the region.

“Despite the Western passive and expensive military drills in the region, they will not be able to maintain the security of transit of energy in the Persian Gulf,” he said.

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Former Iranian ambassador to North Korea Saeed Mohammadi says Tehran has advised Pyongyang that increasing tension in the region is not in anyone’s interest.

In an exclusive interview with Iran’sView, Mohammadi said in reaction to increasing economic problems and provocations from the U.S., North Korea is pursuing a strategy of ‘walking on the edge’ to have the U.S ease its pressures against the country.

“Constant economic and military threats, especially the US.-South Korean annual military drills only help to provoke North Korea and create more anger.”

“There is always the risk that N.Korea goes out of control, even though China has done its best to prevent a possible regional war,” he said.

An ongoing escalation of tensions between North Korea, South Korea and the United States began following North Korea’s launch of its Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 satellite on December 12, 2012, and latest round of US.-South Korean joint military drill in the peninsula. The crisis is marked by extreme escalation of rhetoric by the new North Korean administration under Kim Jong-un and its threats to attacks against South Korea and the United States with nuclear weapons.

In comparing the N.Korean situation to Iran’s, Mohammadi said N Korea’s case is completely different from Iran’s. “North Korea is not a signatory to the NPT and is armed with atomic bombs. The country is highly isolated while Iran, thanks to its geopolitical and cultural advantages, doesn’t need nuclear weapons as a deterrence tool.”

“Tehran and Pyongyang have had warm and constant relations during the last three decades and have cooperated on many scientific and economic fronts, but the policy of the two countries on the nuclear issue is different and Iran has never even wished for an atomic bomb,” Mohammadi said.

Mohammadi accused the U.S. of “pursuing provocative policies in the region and benefiting from tensions which seek to preserve its military presence in the region.”

“Hardening sanctions against N Korea despite promises that the US. made in the six party negotiations is a failure. The same story is true about talks with Iran,” he said. Adding Iran’s nuclear negotiations were close to a solution when a fuel-swap deal was signed by Iran, Turkey and Brazil.

“Although the deal could have been a solution for the US. the country rejected it and Iran had to continue its program, producing 20% enriched uranium to meet its medical needs.”

Iran–North Korea’s diplomatic relations picked up following the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the establishment of an Islamic Republic. Iran and North Korea pledge cooperation in educational, scientific, and cultural spheres.

After Iraq’s Saddam Hussein invasion of Iran, backed by the U.S, North Korea became one of Iran’s main weapons suppliers.

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