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Iran's New Defense Minister Is Committed to Missile Program and Export of Revolution
(Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Lt.-Col. (ret.) Michael Segall - The new Iranian defense minister, Brig.-Gen. Amir Hatami, reemphasized on Aug. 20 the Defense Ministry's strong support for the "resistance front" and the need to promote the Iranian regime's missile program. In addition, the new commander of the Iranian army, Maj.-Gen. Abd al-Rahim Mousavi, vowed that he is committed to the goal that Israel would cease to exist within 25 years, thanks to the bravery of the Iranian martyrs. Iran is exploiting its contribution to the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in order to entrench its status as a power broker, without which no new order will be established in either of those countries. Iran seeks to create a "Shiite crescent" to include Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon to create a platform for the "resistance front" in its ongoing struggle against Israel and the Sunni states led by Saudi Arabia. The writer is a senior analyst at the Jerusalem Center.