Rep. Waltz: Dunford Informed Iran It Will Bear Blame for Proxy Attacks

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been informed that if attacks are launched by any of the country's proxy militia groups, Iran itself will be held directly responsible, Rep. Michael Waltz said Tuesday during a break from briefings being held to outline intelligence the Trump administration has against Iran.

The Florida Republican told Fox News' Dana Perino that during the briefings, he learned that Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "personally sent" a message to the head of the IRGC to inform it that Iran will face the blame if attacks occur.

"That is a shift from the past and very important," said Waltz. "That's the first time I heard a senior official saying that message was explicitly sent."

He added that the B-52s and aircraft carriers that have been sent to the Persian Gulf "can strike into the heart of Iran," and the United States has to keep in mind that over the years, Iran has learned the United States "will respond weakly to proxy attacks."

"Look what happened in Beirut in the 80s, most importantly," said Waltz. "We withdrew forces. Look what happened when over 500 Americans were killed by Iranian projectiles through its militias in Iraq. We basically responded by dealing with the militias, not with Iran itself... Iranians are emboldened by weakness and deferred by strength. The United States is showing strength and that's the right policy."

Meanwhile, the intelligence being shared Tuesday is well-sourced, multifaceted, and corroborated, Waltz said. He added he disagrees with lawmakers who say they have not received information before this time.

"This is the third briefing that I have received on this issue," he said. "It is very clear the sanctions are hurting the Iranian economy and they are looking to respond."

This response, he said, includes diverting the attention of their own population away from the country's internal struggles and then to "externalize that" by blaming the United States.

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