Former IRGC chief calls for unified Muslim front to counter US, Israeli aggression

TEHRAN – Major General Mohsen Rezaei, a former chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), has called on Muslim nations to unite and form a joint military force to counter aggression by the United States and Israel.

In an interview with Al Jazeera on Sunday, Rezaei accused the two powers of destabilizing the region through deliberate provocations and military campaigns, particularly in Syria.  

Rezaei pointed to last week’s large-scale assault on Aleppo by foreign-backed terrorists as a critical moment, calling it a violation of the 2020 ceasefire agreement between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government and Takfiri terrorists. 

He linked the attack to broader efforts by Israel and the U.S. to spread conflict from Gaza and Lebanon into Syria.  

“The occupation of Aleppo is a direct result of provocations by Israel and the United States,” Rezaei said. 

He condemned the assault as part of an ongoing agenda to destabilize the region, citing Israel’s repeated airstrikes in Syria and its broader deadly military campaigns over the past year.  

The offensive in Aleppo, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terror group, marked one of the most significant terrorist attacks in Syria in recent years, with Takfiri forces reportedly taking parts of the city and advancing toward Hama. 

Rezaei criticized this escalation as a continuation of the war on Lebanon and Gaza, reaffirming Iran’s support for the Syrian government and military.  

Since the outbreak of foreign-sponsored violence in Syria in 2011, Iran has played a pivotal role in assisting Damascus in its fight against terrorism.

Alongside Russia, Iranian forces were instrumental in helping Syria achieve a major victory over Daesh in 2017. 

Rezaei urged solidarity among Muslim nations, emphasizing the need for a unified response to repeated acts of aggression. “Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran must stand together against the U.S. and Israel,” he said, calling for collective action similar to Hezbollah’s successes in Lebanon.  

He also referenced a recent truce between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah Resistance movement, which ended over a year of hostilities. According to Rezaei, Israel’s acceptance of the ceasefire demonstrated its inability to sustain ground battles, further exposing its vulnerabilities.  

When asked about Iran’s upcoming retaliation against Israel, Operation True Promise III, Rezaei confirmed that retaliation against the Israeli regime would occur at a time and place of Iran’s choosing. He described the operation as a necessary response to Israel’s actions in the region.  

Rezaei concluded by highlighting Israel’s declining international standing. “Today, Israel has become the most hated regime in history, while the legitimacy of Palestine’s cause is being recognized worldwide,” he said.