The United States’ current presence in West Asia is the weakest ever, according to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Deputy Coordinator Admiral Ali Fadavi, who described Washington as the “Great Satan”. “Negotiating with the devil, the Quran says, bears no fruit,” he was cited as saying by the Fars News Agency. Attempting to lift the morale of Iranian forces, he emphasized their readiness, while belittling American military capabilities. He claimed that even the US aircraft carrier, which was on its way to the region, has remained in the Indian Ocean over “fears” of a clash. On the Iranian government’s statements that it was engaged in an “economic war” with the US, Fadavi said Washington was instead waging a psychological one against Tehran. Last week, supreme leader Ali Khamenei described negotiations with the US as “poisonous,” adding: “There won’t be any war. The Iranian nation has chosen the path of resistance… We don’t seek a war, and they don’t either. They know it’s not in their interests.” Commander of the Quds Force, the foreign branch of IRGC, Qassem Soleimani said his country will not give in to the “humiliation” of negotiations with Washington. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the US decision to deploy more troops to the Middle East in response to the perceived threat from Iran was “extremely dangerous” for peace. The United States announced last Friday the deployment of 1,500 troops in the Middle East to deter Irans threats, accusing the IRGC of direct responsibility for attacks against tankers off the UAEs port of Fujairah this month.