Iran Sees Its Defense Capacities, Missile Might as Red Line: Commander
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri warned the US against encroaching on Iran’s defense capabilities, stressing that the country’s missile power is considered as a red line.
Jazayeri said on Monday that the Americans’ calculations about the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation are fully incorrect and wrong.
"The White House should know that (Iran’s) defense capacities and missile might, especially at the present juncture where there are plenty of plots and threats, are among the Iranian nation's red lines and a backup for the country's national security,” he emphasized.
Iran will not allow anyone to violate its defense and missile capabilities, Jazayeri added.
The Iranian commander further described as "ridiculous" recent attempts made by US President Barack Obama to link facilitated removal of anti-Iran sanctions with a halt to the country’s missile program.
Today, the fact that Washington is used to making promises and then breaking them is an undeniable one, he went on to say.
In similar remarks on Thursday, Secretary of Iran's Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei said Iran will continue to boost its missile and defense capabilities, stressing that the country’s defensive program is not a negotiable issue.
“Iran’s missiles serve deterrent purposes and if we lose them, we will be attacked,” Rezaei wrote in an article.
Noting that the Islamic Republic will not negotiate its defense power with the US and other Western countries, he stressed Iran’s missile and defense capabilities are “non-negotiable” as Washington is seeking Iran’s “missile disarmament”.
In late March, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei had underscored the need for boosting Iran’s defense capabilities, warning that enemies are making use of every tool available to undermine the Islamic Republic.
Ayatollah Khamenei said at the time that if the Islamic establishment seeks technology and negotiations but lacks defense might, it will have to buckle in the face of any weak country that poses threat to it.
In March, the country’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) forces test-fired two types of Qadr ballistic missiles during the large-scale drills, codenamed “Might of Velayat”.
The two ballistic missiles, Qadr-H and Qadr-F, were launched from the heights of East Alborz Mountains, north of Iran, and hit targets on the Makran coasts, southeast of the country.
According to reports, Qadr-H missile has a range of 1,700 kilometers while Qadr-F missile can destroy targets some 2,000 kilometers away.
