Iran missile attack shattered US’ self-proclaimed empire: IRGC spokesman

The spokesman for the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the retaliatory missile attack on an Iraqi military base housing US forces after assassination of Iran's top anti-terror general by terrorist US forces shattered the self-proclaimed empire of the United States.

Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif made the remarks while addressing a ceremony held in the central Iranian city of Damghan to mark the 40th day after the assassination of the former commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani on the direct order of US President Donald Trump.

On January 8, the IRGC fired volleys of ballistic missiles at Ain al-Assad military base in the western Iraqi province of Anbar in response to the January 3 assassination by US terrorists of General Soleimani, the second-in-command of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and a group of their companions in Baghdad.

IRGC targets US airbases in Iraq in response to assassination of General Soleimani

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has targeted US airbases in Iraq.

Both commanders enjoyed deep reverence among Muslim nations for their endeavors in eliminating the US-sponsored Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.

Soon after the assassination, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Washington was to face a “harsh revenge.”

“The important point about the missile attack on Ain al-Assad was shattering the false grandeur and prestige of Americans, which humiliated them in the eyes of the world’s military forces. For 70 years, nobody had dared attack American bases, but this slap in the face by the IRGC brought down the self-proclaimed political, economic and military empire of the United States…,” the Iranian military spokesman said.

At the White House, Trump adamantly denied the Iranian missiles left any casualties. But Tehran said the US military conducted at least nine sorties after the operation, taking the wounded to Jordan and the Israeli occupied territories, while Chinook helicopters transferred the injured to a US hospital in Baghdad.

Out of despair and under pressure from Congress, the Trump administration has gradually announced casualties from the Iranian attack, most recently claiming that 64 US troops have been diagnosed with “traumatic brain injuries.”

Pointing to contradictory US reports about the casualties after the attack, Sharif said, “The first slap was of great significance, of course they (the American officials) will speak of the human casualties and the equipment damaged in the strikes during campaigning for the upcoming US presidential election. Thirteen heavy rockets hit various points at the American base. Of course, our priority was in no way to kill US soldiers, but what’s for sure is that the casualty figure is higher than what they have announced so far.”

IRGC: 'Brain injury' is US vague term for missile fatalities

The IRGC says Washington’s alleged numbers regarding “brain injuries” in troops represent US troop deaths.

The Iranian military spokesman stressed, “With the martyrdom of Soleimani, the enemies thought they would be victorious, while they should know they have taken a big gamble and that the ultimate loser of this bet will be undoubtedly the Americans.”

“All people across the world witnessed the million-strong population that flocked to the streets in Iraq — a huge crowd that Iraq had never seen in a rally after [slain dictator] Saddam [Hussein]. This million-strong population turned out to endorse an Iraqi bill on the expulsion of US forces from the country. The Americans are done in the region, they are well aware of this fact but brazen it out,” he added.

Iraqi lawmakers unanimously approved a bill that calls for the withdrawal of all US-led foreign troops from the Arab country in the wake of the US assassination of the two top commanders.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir