A member of the Assembly of Experts said that the IRGC’s seizure of the British-flagged Stena Impero oil tanker has shown the strength of Iran’s armed forces and warned the enemies, especially the United Kingdom and the United States not to play with the lion’s tail. RNA – In an exclusive interview with Rasa News Agency, Hujjat al-Islam Javad Mojtahed-Shabestari, the representative of the people of West Azerbaijan province in the Assembly of Experts, praised the action by the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in capturing the British oil tanker Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz on July 19th and said, “The IRGC’s capture of the British tanker led to peace of mind for the great Iranian people.”
The teacher in the Islamic Seminary added, “The decisive action by the IRGC was in response to the British forces’ illegal and aggressive seizure of the Iranian tanker [Grace 1]. The actions by the IRGC indicates the ascendancy and the authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
He stressed that the IRGC were as acting in regard to the verse of the Holy Quran: “Should anyone aggress against you, assail him in the manner he assailed you” [2:194] and stated, “The Holy Quran says that you have the right to reciprocate against any act of aggression by the enemies.”
Hujjat al-Islam Mojtahed-Shabestari said that in terms of international regulations, Iran’s action was completely legal, the Stena Impero was seized by the IRGC but the tanker was handed over to the Ports and Maritime Organization until the legal process is finished.
The member of the Assembly of Experts stated, “It’s hoped that this is a lesson for all of the enemies of the Islamic Republic so that they never violate the sanctities of revolutionary and Islamic Iran and don’t play with the lion’s tail.”
He explained, “The IRGC has always been very active in developing defensive equipment, protection and serving the Islamic Revolution, which has angered the enemies. For this reason, the IRGC has been sanctioned and have accused it of being a terrorist group.”
Hujjat al-Islam Mojtahed-Shabestari stressed that these hostilities and accusations have been made while the IRGC are the frontier guards of the Islamic homeland and their revolutionary work has always been implemented in a good manner and has been praised by the Iranian people and endorsed by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution [Ayatollah Khamenei].”
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