US in No Position to Talk about Iran’s Defense Program: Commander
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A top IRGC commander underlined that Iran’s military programs are determined domestically, and deplored US authorities for commenting on the country’s military power.
“It is outside the purview of American officials to talk about measures (related to) the Islamic Republic of Iran’s defense power,” Lieutenant Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Hossein Salami told reporters in Tehran on Saturday.
He made it clear that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations, stressing that the Islamic Establishment defines the structure of the country’s missile power.
His remarks came after US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday that Washington was open to a “new arrangement” with Iran for peacefully resolving disputes such as Tehran’s ballistic missile tests.
Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense.
In late March, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei 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 posing threats.
In March, the IRGC 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.
Washington claims that Iran’s missile tests violate the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that endorsed a nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) on July 14, 2015.
Iran, however, insists that the missile launches were not against the Security Council resolution.
