IRGC spokesperson says US would be admired abroad if it stopped waging wars

A spokesperson for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the United States would be viewed favorably in many parts of the world if it stopped waging wars abroad, according to a report by the Russian state news agency TASS.

Hossein Mohebbi, identified in the report as an IRGC spokesperson, said that under such circumstances the American flag "would be hoisted with respect rather than trampled on" in various countries, instead of being burned or otherwise treated with contempt during protests.

The comments reflect a view long promoted by officials in Tehran, who argue that hostility toward the United States in parts of the Middle East and elsewhere stems primarily from U.S. military interventions rather than from opposition to American society or culture more broadly.

TASS's report did not specify the setting in which Mohebbi made the remarks, such as whether they came during a press briefing, an interview, or another public appearance, nor did it provide further quotes elaborating on the statement.

The IRGC is a branch of Iran's armed forces that operates separately from the country's regular military, maintaining its own ground, naval, aerospace and intelligence units. It also oversees Iran's ballistic missile program and has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States government.

Relations between Iran and the United States have remained strained across successive U.S. administrations, with disputes centering on Iran's nuclear program, its support for allied armed groups across the Middle East, and U.S. sanctions imposed on the Iranian economy.