A new propaganda music video paying tribute to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Gen. Qassem Soleimani, depicts Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces destroying the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.
On Sunday, Kasra Aarabi, an Iran analyst for the Tony Blair Institue tweeted a clip of the video, depicting an explosion at the Capitol, which was aired on Iranian state tv ahead of a speech by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. “Today pre-Khamenei talk, Iran state TV aired this clip depicting an IRGC attack on #Congress Yes, it’s propaganda. But it shows the anti-US ideology of #IRGC, which is rising in power Should the #US give #Iran billions in sanctions relief before addressing the challenge of IRGC?”
Aarabi further tweeted, “Translation of lyrics: “The palace of oppression (#US Congress) was destroyed by the Alavi (Imam Ali’s) IRGC, and the good news of the liberation of Quds (Jerusalem) arrives from #Iran.”
The longer, three-minute music video was shared on an Iranian website, Zia Al-Saleheen, along with the full lyrics to the music video.
The video makes frequent tributes to slain Iranian IRGC Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike in January of 2020 while traveling in Baghdad, Iraq. Then-President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials, including then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said Soleimani was plotting attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq. Soleimani was visiting Iraq just days after Iran-backed Iraqi militias launched deadly rocket attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and attempted to storm the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Soleimani was traveling with Iraqi militia leaders when he was killed.
Iran has repeatedly vowed to take revenge against the U.S. for the strike that killed Soleimani.
After the Iranian propaganda video aired, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) tweeted, “Last week, Iran’s chief diplomat allegedly admitted the IRGC calls the shots in Tehran. Now, Iran releases a fake video of the IRGC blowing up our Capitol. The Biden admin’s priority should be ensuring Iran cannot carry out such an attack, not capitulating by removing sanctions.”
Toomey’s tweet also referenced a recent leaked audio recording in which Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif complained that the IRGC has too strong of an influence over Iranian politics and diplomacy. Zarif reportedly said, “I have sacrificed diplomacy for the military field rather than the field servicing diplomacy.”
The new Iranian propaganda video also comes as President Joe Biden has been pursuing indirect talks with Iran to reenter the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which Trump left in 2018. Senior Biden administration officials have claimed Biden has agreed to ease Trump-era sanctions against Iran as part of the nuclear deal negotiations.
