The commander of the Iranian Army’s Air Defense Force says successful air defense systems used during the recent US-Israeli aggression will be replicated, while new equipment and tactics are being developed based on lessons learned from the war.
Speaking during a ceremony at a specialized hospital affiliated with the Iranian Army’s Air Defense Force on Wednesday, Brigadier General Alireza Elhami discussed the performance of Iran’s Armed Forces, particularly air defense units, in confronting enemy aerial aggression.
Elhami said the Army’s Air Defense Force is currently operating with “100-percent readiness,” adding that both the Army’s air defense units and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’ air defense forces are fully prepared.
“Full and 100-percent surveillance is being conducted along all of the country’s borders, and Iran’s air defense network is continuously monitoring the country’s airspace,” he stated.
Responding to claims that Iran’s air defense equipment had been destroyed, Elhami pointed to the recent downing of a strategic and expensive US military drone, which was widely covered by the media.
“If our air defense assets had been destroyed and we were not capable of defending the country’s airspace today, with what systems were the enemy’s strategic and expensive drones, as well as its strategic and effective fighter jets, shot down?” he said.
Emphasizing the air defense force’s reliance on domestic capabilities, Elhami said Iran is moving forward using “100-percent Iranian” capacities.
“We are increasing our systems and replicating those that performed well during the 40-day war,” he said, adding that new systems and equipment are also being produced based on the experiences gained during the recent aggression.
He stressed that the development and production of the new systems and equipment are being carried out entirely by relying on Iranian knowledge and expertise.
Regarding the changing nature of aerial threats, Elhami said the threats have become highly advanced in terms of technology.
“Some air defense equipment must be modified in line with the type of threat, so that it can respond to today’s threats,” he said.
The US and Israel launched their second round of aggression against Iran on February 28, some eight months after carrying out unprovoked attacks on the country.
Iran swiftly retaliated by launching barrages of missiles and drones at the Israeli-occupied territories, as well as US bases and interests across the region.
A ceasefire took effect on April 7, and on June 18, the presidents of Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to end the war and begin a 60-day diplomatic process to resolve the differences.
However, renewed US strikes a few weeks after signing the MoU once again triggered Iranian retaliation.
