Major powers asking for arms from Iran, commander Hajizadeh says
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The commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corp reveals that major powers want Iranian military equipment.
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In this photo released Wednesday, April 22, 2020, by Sepahnews, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the IRGC aerospace division stands in front of an Iranian rocket carrying a satellite in an undisclosed site believed to be in Iran's Semnan province (Sepahnews via AP)
Tehran will be putting more effort toward bolstering its missile and drone capabilities in terms of production amid high demand, the commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, told a meeting of the IRGC's top commanders on Saturday.
"Major powers are now requesting to purchase our advanced military equipment after we used to request to only talk to them through numerous mediators not too long ago," Hajizadeh underlined.
The West, led by the United States, is attempting to undermine the Iranian economy, and Tehran must work to solve the economic issues it is facing, the Brigadier General said.
"The enemies are employing all of their capabilities against the Islamic Republic, and the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps will stand with the government in the face of the enemies as it works to thwart them," Hajizadeh concluded.
A top military chief said Thursday that Iran would continue to develop its war capabilities across all fields, especially in the drone manufacturing industry, to solidify the country's deterrence and maintain its readiness to counter any future challenges.
Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the deputy chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination, stressed that the army is ready to fulfill its duty and tasks by utilizing its locally-produced hardware and specialized Iranian personnel.
At the Moscow-held Army 2023 International Military Technical Forum, the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) displayed a variety of weapons and defense systems, some of which were revealed for the first time.
The exhibition came after "unprecedented attempts by the West to disrupt the forum held under the auspices of the Russian Defense Ministry," Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday, as he thanked participants for their presence at the forum which is "a clear confirmation of the failure of these destructive efforts."
The Iranian team set up one of the largest display stands at the forum, where weapons it featured ranged from small arms to air-launched glide bombs. The Iranian display stand also showcased several weapons, including the Shahed 129 UAV, the Shahed 133 UAV, the Zoheir ballistic missile, the 3rd Khordad air defense system, and the Sepehr-813 radar.
The IRGC received earlier in the month new strategic systems and equipment developed and produced in Iran through the efforts of local scientists and experts of the Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), serving as a subsidiary for the Iranian Defense Ministry, the Marine Industries Organization, the Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO), Iran Electronics Industries (IEI).
The hardware included several kinds of reconnaissance and combat drones, armored command and logistics vehicles, surveillance systems, along with electronic warfare systems.
Read more: Iran's missile programme is a multi-layered threat: Israeli media
The Iranian team set up one of the largest display stands at the forum where weapons it featured ranged from small arms to air-launched glide bombs.
The unveiling of the Ababil OP missile at the forum caught the attention of military enthusiasts on social media. The missile is equipped with an optical seeker and could be launched at ground and naval targets. The missile resembles the Zahir missile of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), weighing 240 kg and featuring a 45 kg warhead and a range of 86 km. A miniature version of the missile was displayed next to a miniature version of an 8-canister mobile launcher.
The Iranian display stand also showcased several weapons, including the Shahed 129 UAV, the Shahed 133 UAV, the Zoheir ballistic missile, the 3rd Khordad air defense system, and the Sepehr-813 radar.
