Lieutenant Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Brigadier General Hossein Salami said IRGC commanders see the US aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf as nothing more than "rusty iron", Fars News reported.
"IRGC members are never intimidated by the hugeness of the aircraft carriers and roaring of the missiles of the US and trans-regional enemies and these equipments are nothing more than rusty iron in their eyes," General Salami said addressing the closing ceremony of the annual gathering of IRGC Navy commanders and officials in Iran's Northeastern city of Mashhad on Tuesday.
He further praised the IRGC Navy for its excellent and unrivaled performance, and said, "You are the only ones who move within a range of only tens of meters away from the US warships, showing your power and firm resolve and determination and hoisting the flag of Islam and crying out (your anger)."
"And they (enemies) show respect for this very awe and might."
In relevant remarks Iran's military chief on Sunday played down the importance of the US buildup in the Persian Gulf region, saying the White House and Pentagon officials do not even dare to think of attacking Iran.
"Today all the US forces (in the region) have congregated in Kuwait, Bahrain and the Untied Arab Emirates, but of course not for attacking the Islamic Republic of Iran," Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said.
"Such a thought never crosses the mind of either the US leaders or the country's militaries," the General added.
He also dismissed the media hype about the voyage of the US aircraft carrier, George Washington, in the Persian Gulf, saying the US navy commanders have announced that the vessel has been dispatched to the region to back up the US forces in Afghanistan and also for anti-piracy missions.
"And no one can say any better and any louder 'leave us alone (because we are not up to you)'," he said, interpreting the statement of the US navy commanders about the mission of the USS George Washington.
The General also mentioned his assessment of the reason for the US military buildup in the region, and said the US has kept its Iraq combat forces in the other regional countries because taking them back home would be more costly and would also allow its depressed and angry soldiers to join the occupy wall street movement.