News / Politics

Iran among major missile powers in world: Senior military official

Monday, 19 June 2017 1:51 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 19 June 2017 3:24 PM ]

In this picture released on June 19, 2017, a missile is fired from the western Iranian city of Kermanshah targeting the Daesh terrorist group in eastern Syria. (Photo by IRIB)

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri has hailed the Islamic Republic’s great missile capabilities, saying Iran is currently among the major missile powers in the world.

“In many areas, including underground, marine, air, space and intelligence and…technologies, we are competing with the arrogant system,” Baqeri said on Monday after Iran's ballistic missile attack against Daesh targets in eastern Syria.

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) fired six medium-range ground-to-ground ballistic missiles into Daesh bases in Syria’s Dayr al-Zawr on Sunday in retaliation for twin terrorist attacks in the Iranian capital Tehran, which killed 17 people and injured over 50 others.

On June 7, gunmen mounted almost simultaneous assaults on Iran’s Parliament and the Mausoleum of the late Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini. The Daesh Takfiri terrorist group claimed responsibility for the assaults.

Baqeri further pointed to the US military presence in the Middle East, saying, “In addition to its military measures, the hegemonic system created Daesh terrorist-Takfiri group in the region which is a result of its research work on extremist Islamist groups.”

The Iranian military official added that the hegemonic system is weak in confrontation with the Islamic Republic.

“They [hegemonic system] currently do not have the capability to confront us and we also have no intention to confront them, but we are in a permanent competition with them in different sectors, including the missile sector,” Baqeri pointed out.

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and reached self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.

The Islamic Republic has conducted several military drills to enhance the defense capabilities of its Armed Forces and to test modern military tactics and equipment.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly assured other countries, especially the regional neighbors, that its military might poses no threat to anyone, reiterating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday defended the country’s right to develop it missile program, saying it is aimed at uprooting terrorism and extremism.

Zarif said, “Iran’s missile capability protects its citizens in lawful self-defense.”

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