Iran Revolutionary Guards Say 'Enemies' Were Defeated, Warn of Stronger Response to Excessive Demands

A memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran aimed at ending the war has taken effect, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned in a statement on June 19 that they could respond militarily depending on how the situation unfolds.

The Revolutionary Guards said the "aggressor enemies" had been defeated in the face of what it called the "brilliant heroic epic" achieved by Islamic fighters.

Those enemies had vowed to wipe Iran off the map and send it back to the Stone Age, it said, but instead "retreated helplessly" and "knelt down" to plead for agreement and negotiations.

The Revolutionary Guards added that if the other side breaks its promises, makes excessive demands as in the past, or violates the rights of the Iranian people, Iran will respond more forcefully than before across every domain, including land, sea, air and hybrid warfare, inflicting a bigger defeat.

The statement named Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as its recipient, underscoring the group's loyalty to him.

It also said the public and the military firmly support the political leadership, highlighting that the government's position is aligned with that of the armed forces ahead of full-scale negotiations with the US.

Shin Yong-hyun, Hankyung.com reporter yonghyun@hankyung.com