The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander told his troops to model themselves after the young 13 year-old suicide bomber and national hero, Hossein Fahmideh.
Hossein Fahmideh laid down in front of an Iraqi tank with a grenade belt during the Iran-Iraq War and was made a national hero.
Ayatollah Khomeini looks down on 13 year-old suicide bomber Hossein Fahmideh with delight. (Flickr)
An Iranian Guards Commander
Fars News and IMRA reported:
General Ali Fadavi noted IRGC’s various plans for upgrading the combat abilities of the Basiji (volunteer) troops in naval warfare, and said, “The number of Basiji troops is not important in these plans; what matters is their qualitative presence because everyone of them can do a great job.”
He declined to provide any further details on the specific role of the Basiji troops in possible engagement with enemy forces in the Persian Gulf, but said that each of them can play the role of martyr Fahmideh.
Hossein Fahmideh was a 13-year-old volunteer who blew up an enemy tank during a martyrdom-seeking operation in the midst of the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988).
Due to a lack of RPG rockets and the sensitive formation of enemy tanks, Fahmideh wrapped himself in a grenade belt and lied under the tank to blow it up.
The IRGC commander said that the aforementioned plans would be staged once enemies dare to attack the country.
“IRGC and Basij have started tight cooperation and the fruit of these plans will be observed when enemies grow so foolish that they embark on posing a threat to Iran in practice,” he said.
UPDATE: Jules Crittenden has more on the regime.