Top Iranian commander blames U.S. for "terrorism in Muslim world"

TEHRAN, Iran

Hossein Salami, chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), on Sunday said the United States policies are to blame for the terrorism and divisions in the Muslim world.

Salami made the remarks at a rally to mark the 45th anniversary of the former U.S. embassy takeover in Tehran and the "National Day of the Fight against Global Arrogance," also known as the "National Student Day."

Speaking at the gathering, the IRGC chief commander stressed that the "phenomenon of Takfiri (extremist) terrorism and bloody divisions in the Muslim world" were all outcomes of the U.S. policies.

Salami described the United States as a "paradoxical identity," according to the official news agency IRNA.

He added while the United States spoke of global peace, security and order, it was the source of all "crimes, massacres and occupations" in the world.

Iranians took to the streets on Sunday, staging a march to the premises of the former U.S. embassy, chanting slogans against the U.S. and Israel. The demonstrators waved flags of Iran, Hezbollah and Palestine, as well as pictures of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and slain leaders and commanders of Iran and the regional resistance groups.

At the end of the rally, the demonstrators issued a statement vowing allegiance to Iran's supreme leader and condemning Israel's "crimes" in Gaza and Lebanon, "which are being perpetrated with the direct participation and support of the United States."

They also called on the international community to work towards the achievement of ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon.

A few months after the victory of Iran's Islamic Revolution in February 1979, Iranian university students took over the U.S. embassy building, saying that the embassy was, based on the documents found in it, planning to overthrow the Islamic Republic and serving as an espionage base for the U.S. government. Iran commemorates the takeover every year by holding nationwide rallies.