Senior Iranian General Issues Direct Threat: 'We Will Cut Off Trump's Hand and Finger'

'Trump has said his hand is on the trigger. We will cut off his hand and his finger.'

That was the message from Mohsen Rezaei, one of Iran's most powerful military figures, during a televised address on Thursday. The former Revolutionary Guard commander, now a member of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council, was responding to repeated US threats of military action, according to Iran International.

The timing matters. Washington has reportedly begun moving at least one aircraft carrier towards the Persian Gulf as tensions spike over Iran's brutal crackdown on protesters.

'None of Your Bases Will Be Safe'

Rezaei went further, ruling out any prospect of negotiation if the US strikes.

'If we move forward, there will be no talk of a ceasefire anymore,' he said. 'You do not pay attention to the restraint and strategic patience we have shown. Stop right now. Step back, otherwise none of your bases in the region will be safe.'

Sources told Fox News that at least one US carrier may already be en route. The Pentagon hasn't said whether it's the USS Abraham Lincoln, currently in the South China Sea, or one of the vessels that left Norfolk and San Diego earlier this week. Transit time to the Gulf could take a week or more.

A Controversial Figure With International Baggage

Rezaei is no minor official. He ran the IRGC from 1980 until 1997, a 17-year stretch during which the paramilitary force built up both its domestic security apparatus and its network of foreign proxies, including Hezbollah.

These days, he wears several hats: vice president for economic affairs, secretary of the Supreme Council for Economic Coordination, and adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei through the Expediency Council.

But his past follows him. Argentina issued a warrant for his arrest in 2006 over the 1994 car bombing of the AMIA Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires, an attack that killed 85 people. The US Treasury slapped sanctions on him in 2020, citing what officials called destabilising activities across the region.

Protests Grind On Despite Crackdown

Iran is now in its 19th straight day of civil unrest. The Human Rights Activists News Agency has counted at least 2,677 arrests so far, with roughly 1,700 more cases under investigation.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed on Thursday that 800 scheduled executions had been called off following pressure from the Trump administration.

"The President and his team have communicated to the Iranian regime that if the killing continues, there will be grave consequences. The President understands today that 800 executions that were scheduled and supposed to take place yesterday were halted. The President and his team are closely monitoring this situation, and all options remain on the table for the President," she said in a press briefing.

Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Trump to hold off on any strike. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt have reportedly made similar requests.

Internet and phone blackouts have spread across the country. Residents say security forces have been going house to house, ripping satellite dishes off rooftops.

NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi has called on the international community to demand the release of political prisoners and send inspectors into Iran's jails.

At the same time, Iran's exiled crown prince said he is counting on Trump to protect Iran and its people.