PHOTO: Commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, General Mohammad Ali Jafari

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Upholding its intervention in Syria’s conflict, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has claimed a role in the mobilization of “200,000 armed youths in regional countries”.

Guards commander General Mohammad Ali Jafari made the declaration at a ceremony for one of the latest Iranian casualties in Syria, Hamid Reza Assadollahi, as he praised the “young generation” for advancing the goals of the Islamic Revolution.

Iran officially denies that it has any troops inside Syria, although it acknowledges “advisors”. In 2012, the Revolutionary Guards oversaw the creation of the National Defense Force militia, with a goal of 50,000 members, to prop up the Syrian military. Tehran is working closely with Lebanon’s Hezbollah, who intervened in spring 2013 against the rebels, initially in western Syria near the Lebanese border and then throughout the country.

This summer Iran’s military, notably Quds Force leader General Qassem Soleimani, worked with Moscow over the intervention to prevent the Assad regime’s collapse, including Russian bombing from September 30. Tehran sent in more commanders and troops, along with its command of foreign militias, to accompany and sometimes lead regime ground offensives.

Since October 7, Iranian media have confirmed the deaths of more than 120 troops, including eight commanders, in the offensives.

Zarif Swipes at “Nouveau-Riche” Saudi Monarchy on Twitter

Without named Saudi Arabia’s leadership, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has fired a rhetorical shot on Twitter:

On Sunday, Zarif stepped up the allegations in the diplomatic dispute in which Riyadh has cut relations with Tehran, comparing the Saudi regime to the Islamic State and blaming it for “terrorism” in the US from 9-11 to last December’s shootings in San Bernardino, California.

See Iran Daily, Jan 11: Tehran Goes on Attack Against Saudi Arabia