Iran will give a “crushing” response to any possible act of aggression against the country, said an Islamic Revolution Guards Corps commander. Speaking in a live televised interview on Saturday, Lieutenant General Hossein Salami, the second-in-command of IRGC, said the armed forces are determined to defend the country’s territorial integrity and national interests in case of any invasion, Press TV reported. He added that the recent capture of 10 US Marines, who had trespassed into Iran’s territorial waters, was proof of the power of the naval forces, describing it as a clear victory for Iran at a crucial juncture. The IRGC commander said this incident was a determining development in the region, because it made all foreign forces face a new reality and change their assessment of the power of the Islamic Republic in defending its territorial integrity and vital interests. On January 13, the IRGC announced that the 10 US Marines, who had crossed into the country’s territorial waters in the Persian Gulf and had been taken into Iranian custody, were released after the Americans apologized for the incident.
