Iran’s defense minister promises strong response to enemy moves

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan says the country’s defensive military power will catch enemies off guard in case of an act of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

“The [Iranian] Defense Ministry invests in sectors that would give us the upper hand. In line with this [policy]… we have developed a series of defensive systems so that we would not be caught off-guard by the enemy," Dehqan said on Wednesday, adding that Iran's enemies would get surprised by the country's defense capabilities.

He added that the US and Israel would start a war against Iran if they had the slightest doubts about the Islamic Republic's defensive capabilities.

The minister noted that Iran was focusing on defense projects that would guarantee the country’s victory in case of a confrontation, and that the Islamic Republic was fully capable of identifying and foiling potential threats.   

“We have always stood up against threats,” he said, adding that the Iranian nation now feels safe against any threats thanks to the Islamic Republic’s defensive might.

Iran has managed to attain self-sufficiency in manufacturing necessary military equipment in line with its policy to boost defensive capabilities against potential threats.

Tehran maintains that its military power poses no threat to other countries and that its military doctrine is solely based on deterrence.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian minister also reaffirmed Tehran’s support for resistance movements.

Iran's support for resistance movements has been a major deterrent against adversaries and has marked a defeat for them, Dehghan stressed.