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Iran puts hardline Revolutionary Guards in charge of defending Gulf
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters
Tags: Persian Gulf, Yossi Melman 

Click here for more articles by Yossi Melman

Iran's supreme leader has put its elite Revolutionary Guards in charge of defending the oil-rich Gulf against any enemy attacks, a top military adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

The Guards, seen as fiercely loyal to Iran's system of clerical rule, would not hesitate to "confront foreign forces", adviser Yahya Rahim-Safavi told the official IRNA news agency.
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The move comes amid persistent speculation about a possible U.S. or Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, which the West and Israel say are part of a clandestine bid to build atomic bombs, despite Tehran's denials.

Energy experts are concerned any conflict in Iran could lead to a shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between the Gulf and the Sea of Oman through which roughly 40 percent of the world's traded oil is shipped.

Rahim-Safavi, previously head of the Revolutionary Guards, said Khamenei, Iran's top authority, had given full authority to the Guards as the only military force defending the Gulf.

"After the Americans found out about this decision they told their warships not to get close to Iranian territory because the Revolutionary Guards do not hesitate to immediately confront foreign forces," he said.

Alongside the regular army, Iran has a Revolutionary Guards force viewed as guardians of the Islamic ruling system.

The Guards have a separate command and their own air, sea and land units. They are deployed on sensitive border regions and guard key institutions and their arsenal includes the Shahab-3 missile, which reportedly can reach targets in Israel.

One Iranian analyst said power in the military had increasingly shifted to the Guards, particularly in naval operations because of the cost of running a parallel navy.

"It is an indication of the power of the Revolutionary Guards. They are the main protector of the Islamic Republic and Islamic revolution, and they are trusted by the supreme leader," the analyst said about Khamenei's decision.

Putting the elite force in charge was probably also aimed at adding weight to Iran's claim that it could maintain security and defend its territorial waters in the Gulf, the analyst said.

Rahim-Safavi said the regular army would still be in charge of the Caspian Sea and the Sea of Oman. The IRNA report did not elaborate on what practical impact Khamenei's order would have.

Iran has dismissed reports of possible U.S. or Israeli plans to strike Iran, but says it would respond by attacking U.S. interests and Israel if any such assault was made.

Iran began a broad military exercise of its air defenses on Monday, according to Iranian media and news agency reports.

According to the reports, the aim of the exercises was to improve the readiness of Iran's anti-aircraft capabilities in the event of a possible aerial attack.

The exercise was spread out across half of Iran's territory, and included the participation of the air force. It involved training for different types of attacks, and checked the reaction of the radar systems, rocket batteries and anti-aircraft weaponry.

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      1.   Sending A message 20:10  |  Cool B 16/09/08
      2.   An attack on Iran will make the arabs even RICHER! 20:54  |  US 16/09/08
      3.   They orders shoot to sink 21:13  |  Yuri 16/09/08
      4.   COOL B You mean multiple Arab armies couldn`t defend themselves? 21:45  |  PETER SM 16/09/08
      5.   Hints 22:12  |  Fortuna Benmayor 16/09/08
      6.   #1 not so cool 22:26  |  Dr Noam 16/09/08
      7.   Re: Sending a message 22:30  |  James 16/09/08
      8.   #3 PETER SM 22:45  |  Cool B 16/09/08
      9.   #6 Dr Noam 23:02  |  Cool B 16/09/08
      10.   From Iraq 23:40  |  Allawi 16/09/08
      11.   An other indication of Iran self confidence. 23:41  |  Persian Hero 16/09/08
      12.   Cool B 23:57  |  ChanahS 16/09/08
      13.   coolB you need to know history 23:59  |  George 16/09/08
      14.   Cool B # 8 - as I said before 00:00  |  ChanahS 17/09/08
      15.   #1 It seems like you`re a paid Iranian agent 02:08  |  McQueen 17/09/08
      16.   # 3 COOL B 02:24  |  X-MILITARY 17/09/08
      17.   COOL B Israel beat Arab armies in 1948 &1967 WITHOUT US aid 02:33  |  PETER SM 17/09/08
      18.   HAHA! 03:11  |  Paul 17/09/08
      19.   Oh yeah! 03:14  |  Paul 17/09/08
      20.   COOLB.Israel fought Arab armies&won,despite your claims 05:13  |  PETER SM 17/09/08
      21.   Well It Looks Rather Crappy 06:00  |  Yosemite 17/09/08
      22.   LOOKS LIKE THE IRANIANS ARE AWAITING ISRAELS ARRIVAL 06:17  |  Big Pimpin 17/09/08
      23.   #14 PETER SM: THE GREAT ZIONIST STORY TELLER 06:34  |  BigBadJohn 17/09/08
      24.   I Get It 06:57  |  Yosemite 17/09/08
      25.   BIGBJ Check your American history books. 09:08  |  PETER SM 17/09/08
      26.   #5, Fortuna Benmayor 09:12  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/09/08
      27.   BIGPINPINWho said the Israeli navy was going to the Gulf?? 09:15  |  PETER SM 17/09/08
      28.   George et al.: amazing so many adults still cannot 09:38  |  Paul 17/09/08
      29.   George et al.: amazing so many adults still cannot 09:39  |  Paul 17/09/08
      30.   Iran Revolutionary Guards , Yeah Right ! 18:32  |  Gary 18/09/08
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