The acting defense minister says Iran’s technical and tactical “surprises” for the aggressors, the United States and the Israeli regime, were more advanced during the recent war than those featured in last year’s military assault against the Islamic Republic.
Brigadier General Seyyed Majid Ibn Reza made the remarks while addressing crowds attending Friday prayers in Tehran ahead of the sermon. His speech came to mark the National Defense Industry Day on August 22.
“We entered the battlefield in the [40-day] Ramadan war with considerably greater strength and preparedness than in the 12-day war. Moreover, our surprises in the technical and tactical domains during the Ramadan war were significantly more advanced and sophisticated compared to the previous war,” he said.
“The extent to which Iranian Armed Forces penetrated deep into the enemy’s bases, and the number of enemy operational and reconnaissance helicopters and aircraft brought down, as well as the forces’ ability to anticipate the adversary’s regional activities and inflict painful blows on it were all far greater than during the second imposed war.”
He also noted that during the 40-day war, enemy bases were targeted with greater precision than during the 12-day war, adding that Iran’s military power made terrorist US and Israeli armies regret continuing their acts of mischief.
The US and the Israeli regime waged their first criminal war against Iran, which lasted 12 days, in June 2025. Their second aggression began on February 28, 2026, and came to a halt in early April after 40 days.
In both wars, Iran’s brave resistance and successful retaliatory operations forced the aggressors to accept a ceasefire.
In July, however, the US conducted waves of deadly air raids on Iran and imposed a naval blockade of the country in violation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Islamic Republic, signed on June 17, to end the war.
In response, Iranian armed forces launched devastating attacks against strategic American targets across West Asia and declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to all traffic.
Also in his remarks, Ibn Reza described Iran’s defense industry as a manifestation of science and technology, creativity, faith, independence, and the determination of the nation.
“Iran’s defensive power today is not intended to wage war, but to deter war and aggression,” he said. “We have never initiated aggression against any country, nor will we ever do so. We do not seek military aggression, but neither will we allow anyone to carry out military aggression against the country’s territory, independence, and security.”
Meanwhile, the acting defense minister said the recent war on Iran enhanced national unity and solitary, along with people’s faith in the power of self-reliance.
“Despite all its hardships, this war strengthened our hope for the future. We saw that a nation can stand on its own feet under the most difficult circumstances and endure pressure, sanctions, and blockade. Although such pressures create hardship, they cannot break the will of a nation,” he emphasized.
