NCRI – The Iranian regime’s senior officials continue to express fear and increasing anxiety about the aftermath of recent protests in the month of February by the Iranian people.
In one of the latest of such reactions, the regime’s chairman of joint chiefs of staff, Hassan Firouzabadi, called for more training and weapons for the paramilitary Bassij Force.
Speaking at a gathering of Bassij and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), he said, “It is important for us to comply with the priorities set by the [regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei], which includes the militarization of Bassij.”
“Every Bassij member has to be armed and receive military training. They would have to be prepared to protect the [regime] upon the orders of the leader [Khamenei],” he added.
Another senior regime official, Ali Saeedi, Khamenei’s representative in the IRGC, also warned this week that the IRGC cannot counter growing protests by relying on its own forces alone. He urged more help from other security and suppressive organs within the regime to repress protests.
