Commander of Iran's Air Defense Force Brigadier General Alireza Sabahi-Fard says the force is keeping “a watchful eye” on Iran’s strategic regions and will not allow any act of aggression by the enemy to go unnoticed.
While visiting the air defense center in the southeastern port city of Chabahar on Wednesday, the senior commander said that committed and expert personnel of air defense defend the country with a watchful eye, stressing, “We will not allow any mistake by the enemies for the sake of our authority and dignity.”
“The units of this force, by [exercising] intelligence, vigilance and [keeping a] a watchful eye, will not allow any aggression by outsiders,” he added.
He noted that the northern Indian Ocean and the strategic region of southeastern Iran are under full surveillance of the air defense, stressing the region enjoys complete security.
Sabahi-Fard said the Chabahar air defense center is in charge of monitoring the sky of a part of the country where there is a lot of air and sea transportation to the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, as well as to East Asia and Central Asia, adding that various types of surveillance equipment are deployed to the region to monitor any moves.
“All kinds of completely indigenous electronic interception, radar and missile systems, which are the result of round-the-clock efforts of the youth of this border and region, are deployed in this area, and the enemies know that we are very close to them in the region and we even monitor their breathing,” he added.
The senior commander said Iran’s air defense has long been capable of detecting and monitoring any flying object with any radar cross-section and uses powerful systems and weapons for tactical and defensive actions against offensive forces.
The remarks come as tensions have simmered in the region after a suspected drone attack late last month on an Israeli-managed tanker off the Omani coast. Two crew members were killed in the attack, which was blamed on Iran by the United States, Israel and Britain. Iran categorically denied the accusation.
Earlier this month, a Panama-flagged asphalt/bitumen tanker was also seized off the coast of the United Arab Emirates at the opening of the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s busiest waterways. Maritime sources accused Iran of being behind the potential hijack, which ended a day after the incident.
Iran has denied the accusations, warning against any attempt aimed at setting the ground for new adventurism.