The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday described Saudi Arabia as a “terrorist state” as he announced his position had been extended for three years.
Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari's 10-year stint as commander of the elite military force was due to expire in three months.
But in a speech carried by the semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies, he said it would continue until at least 2020.
In a speech at a Guards meeting in Tehran, he highlighted the threat from Saudi Arabia, which backs opposing sides to Iran in several regional conflicts. “Today, the Saudis are becoming a terrorist state in the region,” he said. “Today in our region only the countries that are powerful enough will remain safe,” he added.