In a rare interview with NBC News on Monday, Ali Shamkhani Iran’s top military advisor to the Supreme leader blamed US for regional conflicts and declared that Iran have several choices to deal with its opponents including proxy wars.
When asked whether Iran and US should become engaged in an open military conflict, Shamkhani claimed that his country has “multiple instruments at hand, including the proxy war.” He did not specify which proxies Iran has on his side.
The top Iranian official, who has also been the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, expressed his country’s regret for signing 2015 nuclear deal with Obama administration and world powers.
Shamkhani has also criticized US’s “maximum pressure campaign” and said Washington will never achieve its goals with Iran.
“The sanctions campaign is not for negotiation, it is for making us surrender,” said Shamkhani. “As long as this approach is taken by the United States, Iran will never ever seek negotiations.”
In May 2018, US president Donald Trump withdrew from Iran’s nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and reimposed international sanctions. Tensions have been rising between the two countries since then.
