General Firouzabadi urges neighbors to heed protesters calls

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi

A top Iranian military commander has urged the military commanders of Muslim countries not to resist the rightful demands of their nations.

“Generals and [military] commanders in Muslim countries should use their weapons to protect borders and prevent the infiltration of arrogant enemies and the Zionist Regime [of Israel],” chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi said Saturday.

Referring to the recent uprising in some of the countries in the region, Firouzabadi said “now that the Muslim nations of the regional countries… are demanding independence, freedom and Islamic democracy, the armies of these countries should support such popular movements,” IRNA quoted the Iranian commander as saying.

Firouzabadi added that no army has devised its strategies, doctrines, planning and military equipment to counter its nations except for Israel.

“The Zionist Regime [of Israel]'s army has been designed and equipped to fight the innocent people and true citizens of the occupied Palestine,” the Iranian commander added.

After Tunis and Egypt, other countries in the region have also been the scene of popular pro-democracy movements.

On Saturday, the pro-democracy uprising in Bahrain entered its sixth day, as protesters took to the streets to protest against the government's dictatorial policies.

The magnitude of the protests in Bahrain is unprecedented in the history of the kingdom and the authorities' efforts to quell them have so far been ineffective.

The demonstrators are demanding a new constitution that would move the country toward democracy and limit the king's powers.

Bahrain is ruled by a royal family, who are blamed for discrimination against the country's Shia population -- comprising 70 percent of the population.

Pro-democracy protests in Yemen, Inspired by the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, started in February and at least 10 protesters have been killed and many others have been injured during clashes with the security forces.

Protesters, who have taken to the streets in Sana'a and other major cities, are demanding the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Saleh, who has been in power for 33 years, announced last week that he would leave power after his term expires in 2013. He also promised not to hand over power to his son.

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