Iran’s Armed Forces Prioritize Boosting Defense Capacities: IRGC
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) highlighted Iran’s deterrent power in the face of foreign threats and said boosting the country’s defense capacities is on the agenda of the Armed Forces.
The IRGC Public Relations Department released a statement on Wednesday to mark the National Day of Defense Industry, which will be celebrated on Thursday.
“At a time when the leaders of the hegemonic system and those hostile to the Islamic Revolution and Establishment are enviously pursuing the option of sanctions given their lack of power to counter the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, focusing on the strategy to promote the country’s defense capacities… is on the Agenda of the military organizations, especially the IRGC,” the statement read.
“The remarkable achievements and capabilities of the country's defense industry in land, sea, and aerospace fields, which meet modern world standards and successfully respond to threats facing the country, have made the Islamic Republic of Iran the undisputed top power in the region and at the same level of trans-regional powers,” it added.
The statement came against the backdrop of increased tensions between Iran and the US after the Islamic Republic shot down an advanced US spy drone over its territorial waters.
The IRGC said on June 20 that a US spy drone that violated the Iranian territorial airspace in the early hours of the day was shot down by the IRGC Aerospace Force’s air defense unit near the Kooh-e-Mobarak region in the southern province of Hormozgan.
The intruding drone was reportedly shot by Iran’s homegrown air defense missile system “Khordad-3rd”.
Later on the same day, US President Donald Trump said he had called off a retaliatory attack on a number of targets in Iran and said that he was ready to speak with Iranian leaders and come to an understanding that would allow the country to improve its economic prospects. “What I’d like to see with Iran, I’d like to see them call me.”
“I look forward to the day where we can actually help Iran. We're not looking to hurt Iran,” Trump added.
However, on June 24 Trump announced new sanctions against top Iranian officials, including the office of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, Iran’s foreign minister, and senior commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
