BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 1, Major-General Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, has called on countries in the region to reconsider their strategic alignment with the United States, warning that continued cooperation could increase the risk of a broader regional conflict.
Speaking in remarks carried by Iran's state broadcaster IRIB, Abdollahi said recent U.S. actions against Iran have heightened the danger of escalating tensions across the Middle East.
He claimed that Washington intends to use the wealth, infrastructure and resources of regional countries as "a defensive shield" for what he described as a weakened U.S. military.
The Iranian commander warned that any country serving as the United States' "defensive shield" could ultimately be "consumed by the flames of war."
His comments come amid heightened regional tensions and continued military and diplomatic confrontation between Tehran and Washington.
The United States has not immediately responded to Abdollahi's remarks.
