A senior Iranian Army commander says the armed forces enjoy high level of self-sufficiency in manufacturing military equipment, promising to deliver “good news” in the field of drones in the near future.
Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the deputy chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination, made the remark on the sidelines of a parade to mark National Army Day in the capital Tehran on Tuesday.
“As per the Constitution, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army has the mission to defend the territorial integrity, and safeguard and preserve the independence of the country,” Sayyari told the reporters.
Underlining that there have been major changes in the Army’s military equipment since the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Sayyari said the entire set of military equipment that was displayed in today's parade is indigenous and features cutting-edge technologies.
Stating that the Army's self-sufficiency has reached 90%, the senior commander said, “Of course, we will have a better situation in all areas each year compared to the past. For instance, until four years ago, there was no sign of drones in the Army, but today the army has a lot of power in the field of drones, and soon you will hear more about drones.”
In Tuesday's parade, the combat and armored units of the Army's Ground Force, the Air Force's fighters, weapons and defense systems of the air defense force were displayed, along with some of the indigenous achievements, such as drone equipment and missiles.
National Army Day, which is celebrated annually on April 18, was established by the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini, in 1979.
Two months after the fall of the deposed Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Ayatollah Khomeini, who was also the first leader of the Islamic Revolution, met with the soldiers of the Armed Forces who had made an invaluable contribution to the victory of the Revolution. A few days later, Ayatollah Khomeini named April 18 “the Army Day,” calling for military parades to exhibit the nation’s military preparedness.