US, Israel seeking 'disintegration of Iran' — Larijani

Iran's security chief argues that the US is trying to replicate in Iran what it did in Venezuela.

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"I think the most important problem the Americans have is that they do not understand the context of West Asia, especially Iran," said Larijani. / Reuters

Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, has said that the United States and Israel were seeking to break the country apart.

"Their issue was... the fundamental disintegration of Iran," said Larijani in a pre-recorded interview broadcast on state TV on Saturday.

On February 28, the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran that killed its supreme leader Ali Khamenei and triggered a war in the Middle East.

Iran responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as US interests across the region.

Larijani said the US was seeking to replicate in Iran a scenario similar to Venezuela, where interim president Delcy Rodriguez has cooperated with it under threat of violence after Washington ousted her President, Nicolas Maduro.

"I think the most important problem the Americans have is that they do not understand the context of West Asia, especially Iran," said Larijani.

"Their perception was that it would be like Venezuela — they would strike, take control, and it would be over — but now they are trapped."