Tabnak – Amid the United States’ changing role in West Asia, represented in its latest moves to withdraw forces from Syria and Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic appears determined to continue relying on its homegrown capabilities to face potential threats. While planning to conduct a massive war game in the Persian Gulf, Tehran says it will continue developing missile and other defense capabilities.
Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour announced that his forces plan to launch massive military drills in southern parts of Iran on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Friday, Brigadier General Pakpour said the war game, codenamed “Payambar-e Azam 12 (The Great Prophet)”, will start on the southern island of Qeshm on Saturday.
The rapid reaction units and the Special Forces of the IRGC Ground Force and Air Force will participate in the military drills, he said, adding that the combat and reconnaissance drones as well as radar and missile systems will be used during the war game.
The commander further said the IRGC Ground forces have started their preparations and training for the war game since December 15 in the southern province of Fars. Brigadier General Pakpour went on to say that, this war game is based on “the ground, water and coastal defense operations”.
Meanwhile and in the same vein, the IRGC says it will continue its missile tests and research more actively than ever in defiance of the US pressure and sanctions.
Speaking to Iran’s official news agency IRNA on Friday, IRGC deputy commander for coordination Brigadier General Ali Fadavi said conducting research on military equipment and missiles is a permanent job of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.
Fadavi described it as a vital issue for Iran just like breathing, and asked, “Is it possible [for a person] to stop breathing?”
He pointed to the US pressures and sanctions on the Islamic Republic, and said they are always opportunities for Iran, as they create conditions for the country to rely on its own capabilities. “The harsher the sanctions get, the more defensive capabilities Iran will achieve,” he added.
Fadavi’s comments came a few weeks after the latest ballistic missile test by the Iranian armed forces. The move was described as a significant one by IRGC Aerospace Commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
Over the past years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in manufacturing military equipment and hardware despite being under Western sanctions and economic pressure.
Tehran asserts that its missile arsenal strictly serves self-defense and poses no threat to other states.
Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said recently that Iran is currently one of the world’s topmost missile powers despite having been subjected to severe sanctions during the past 40 years.
