Iran: Threats continue even with Obama

"It is utterly simplistic to believe that changing a US administration would transform Washington's ways and means toward the Islamic Republic," said the deputy chairman of Iran's Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gholam-Ali Rashid, on Saturday.

The senior Iranian commander said that Washington has vocally advocated 'regime change' in the Islamic Republic and has gone to great lengths to topple the Iranian government.

Washington echelons have pursued 'regime change' in Iran as an important part of the US political agenda since 2001.

The Asia Times quotes prominent investigative journalist Seymour Hersh as saying that the US has military commando units operating inside Iran to light 'the fire of ethnic and sectarian strife' in order to destabilize and eventually topple the Iranian government.

ABC news also has revealed that Washington has been secretly funding and directing Jundullah militants to 'stage deadly guerrilla raids inside the Islamic Republic, kidnap Iranian officials and execute them on camera' all as part of a 'programmatic objective to overthrow the Iranian government'.

Major General Rashid said after the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US, Washington plotted against Middle Eastern nations and planned a velvet revolution in Iran.

"In the past five years, the US has stepped up efforts to target the Iranian government by threats of military attacks or velvet revolutions," said Rashid.

According to the Iranian commander, Washington's Middle East strategies lie in tatters and it is likely for the new US administration to renew its military threats against Tehran.

In a June interview, former US Chief of Staff Larry Wilkerson said the US purpose to bring about regime change was one that would target the whole Middle East.

"It was regime change throughout the Middle East, starting with Baghdad, Damascus, Tehran, and rolling on through the Middle East, ultimately even probably rolling on to Riyadh, one of our erstwhile allies for the last half-century, Saudi Arabia," said Wilkerson.