US Central Command: Iran Remains US Greatest Threat in The Region!

By Staff, Agencies

The commander of US Central Command General Kenneth F. McKenzie cautioned that “If the US prevents Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon that will not solve the problem of Iran's ballistic missiles and drones.”

Briefing the media, the outgoing Marine Corps said that “Iran’s ballistic missile threat has continued to advance and expand with greater ranges and accuracy,” adding that this threat also includes cruise missiles and drones.

McKenzie also said that the number one objective of his country is to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon, noting that the best way to achieve this is through a negotiated agreement with Iran.

However, he acknowledged that this does not solve the problem of Iranian ballistic missiles, land cruise missiles and drones. “We need to recognize that; that's a separate problem. But I do like having the ability to take the nuclear option off the table, which has to contribute to regional security.”

McKenzie added, “Deterring Iran and its threat network depends on capabilities that provide a credible threat of a robust and timely response to Iranian aggression paired with flexible deterrent and response options that impose high costs on Iran, thereby altering its decision calculus.”

Describing the Yemeni Ansarullah revolutionary groups as the “least restrained and most destabilizing of all of Iran’s affiliates in the region”, McKenzie said they can escalate the crisis in the region “using whatever means the Iranians put at their disposal, even at the risk of inflicting mass civilian casualties and threatening American forces.”

 “Iran will continue to use Syrian [and likely Iraqi] territory as a critical hub and resupply route for maintaining its campaign against ‘Israel’”, McKenzie claimed.

He further stated: “I think it’s obvious that ‘Israel’ is going to take steps to defend itself when it’s confronted with Iranian actions. And of course, Iran is dedicated to the destruction of ‘Israel’.” “I do worry about these exchanges between Iran and ‘Israel’, because many times our forces are at risk, whether in Iraq or in Syria. So that, in fact, does concern me.”