Tehran [Iran], April 5 : Iran's Parliament Speaker MB Ghalibaf, on Sunday, praised battle-tested generals for prioritising national interests over external pressures, amidst tensions between the US and Iran.
In a post on X, he highlighted that the US grapples with decisions on supporting Israel and managing oil prices, potentially impacting American taxpayers in the long term.
He said, "SITREP: Battle-tested generals refuse to be yes-men for a TV host selling out American lives for Israel's delusions. That's the short-term price. Long-term cost? American taxpayers paying at the pump for decades. Real LEGACY."
https://x.com/mb_ghalibaf/status/2040520640361279665?s=20
Ghalibaf is suggesting a rift between professional US military "generals" and the political appointees (like Hegseth) who he claims are "selling out" American interests for Israel's military goals. Ghalibaf is hinting at Iran's ability to disrupt global energy supplies.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close or restrict shipping through the Strait, where roughly 20% of the world's oil passes. He is arguing that while the U.S. might see "short-term" military wins, the "long-term cost" for American taxpayers will be decades of high energy prices and economic instability due to the destruction of Middle Eastern energy infrastructure.
The comments come as US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth forced out two army generals in a major rejig after vowing for regime change in the Iran war, the Wall Street Journal reported.
General David Hodne, who became the head of the service's Training and Transformation Command in October, and Major General William Green Jr., Chief of Army Chaplains, were removed after General Randy George, the Army's chief of staff, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
The removal comes late in a series of clashes between the Pentagon chief and the service's senior leadership. George has been asked to retire immediately, even though he was expected to hold the office for more than another year, until the fall of 2027, and complete what is typically a four-year assignment as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Meanwhile, on March 28, demonstrators hit the streets of cities across the United States for the first "No Kings" protest since the joint US and Israeli war against Iran, as reported by Al Jazeera.
According to the "No Kings" website, more than 3,300 events were planned across all 50 states, with large crowds expected in cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Washington, DC. Parallel events happened internationally in cities such as Rome, Paris, and Berlin.
US and Israeli forces have been conducting strikes on Iranian targets for over a month. Ghalibaf recently accused the US of planning a ground attack following the arrival of a U.S. warship with 3,500 personnel in the region.
Ghalibaf has dismissed reports of secret negotiations between him and the Trump administration as "fake news" intended to stabilise oil markets.