beirut week u.s. president donald trump deliver blister speech iran revolutionary guard powerful military economic force islamic republic show intention curb activities middle east defiance world power trump choose speech last friday certify tehran comply pact curb iran nuclear work single islamic revolutionary guard corps irgc accuse tehran destabilize region senior irgc commander say speech trump act crazy follow u.s. strategy increase shadow war region iran shi ite militia proxies make formidable military gain recent months syria well iraq stretch northern iraq string small cities week trump speech re-captured oil-rich city kirkuk short-run clearly trump increase power aggressiveness irgc say abbas milani director iranian study program stanford university irgc back street fight domestic regional prestige predicate fact fight good fight back day trump speak head guard al quds overseas operations major general qassem soleimani travel iraq kurdistan region hold talk escalate crisis kurdish authorities iraqi government kurdish independence referendum niece late kurdish leader jalal talabani alaa talabani tell al hadath tv channel soleimani meet members family saturday come pay respect jalal former iraqi president founder patriotic union kurdistan puk party die month iraqi kurdish officials tell reuters soleimani hold meet kurdish leaders persuade retreat kirkuk ahead iraqi army push city deny mr. qassem soleimani give us advice find solution kirkuk say say kirkuk return iraqi law constitution agreement kirkuk give intransigence referendum decision think within days iran mostly shi ite ally baghdad launch lightning assault push kurdish fighters dispute territories kirkuk consequently strengthen iran hand iraq commanders kurdish force know peshmerga accuse iran orchestrate shi ite-led iraqi central government push areas control charge senior iranian officials deny video post kurdish rudaw channel online wednesday show iraqi shi ite militiaman loyal iran hang picture iran supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei kirkuk governorate office iran large kurdish minority reason wary iraqi kurdish independence fear might encourage kurds also push separatism independence vote iraqi kurdistan september 25 videos post online show hundreds people celebrate streets kurdish areas iran front-line player regional analysts say emergence iran iraq syria kurdistan lebanon wield influence ally shi ite lebanese hezbollah militia mean tehran become front-line player region washington could afford ignore trump stupidity distract us america deceitfulness ... u.s. tear nuclear deal shred say khamenei americans angry islamic republic iran manage thwart plot lebanon syria iraq countries region speak trump speech amir ali hajizadeh head guard aerospace division say start islamic revolution ... presidents increase shadow war region ... dear brothers sisters today trump act crazy gain concessions method ramp tension could put two countries collision course gulf clash narrowly avoid recent months small boat revolutionary guard navy veer close u.s. naval vessels gulf least twice year prompt u.s. military fire warn shots flare august unarm iranian drone come within 100 feet 31 meter u.s. navy warplane risk crash accord u.s. official recent naval showdowns iran unite state take place near strait hormuz waterway 30 percent global oil export pass annually presidential campaign last september trump vow iranian vessels harass u.s. navy gulf would shoot water guard could also target u.s. force iraq syria tens thousands loyal shi ite militia fighters without directly acknowledge role attack irgc claim ignorance shi ite militia attack u.s. military say ali alfoneh senior fellow atlantic council do extensive research guard early october american soldier kill iraq explosively form penetrator efp type roadside bomb often use iran shi ite militia proxies iraq accord u.s. military first time see use area u.s. army colonel ryan dillon coalition spokesman say dillon say u.s. military yet conclude carry attack dozens american soldier iraq kill injure efps use militia group link iran 2003 invasion iraq u.s. force accord u.s. military ask threat pose shi ite militias ally iran iraq syria particularly trump speech dillon say always assess threats matter come certain announcements certain date certain events happen make proper adjustments trump new plan observers say also weaken group make progress curb guard political economic ambition recent years iranian president hassan rouhani pragmatist politicians cabinet since become president 2013 rouhani members cabinet repeatedly push back guard economic influence involvement political matter rouhani push guard temper harden trump approach tehran regional observers say do even critics defend revolutionary guard say nasser hadian-jazy political science professor tehran university iran 's guard flex muscle middle east despite trump warn