The chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has underscored the elite force’s sophisticated capabilities in maritime wars and says the IRGC never leaves unanswered any aggression on Iranian soil.
Major General Hossein Salami made the remarks in a ceremony showcasing the IRGC’s speedboats and naval technologies in the southern port city of Bushehr on Wednesday.
Salami pointed to Iran’s high-tech maritime capabilities and said building a navy capable of neutralizing the enemy’s threats is the “most important component” of a country’s deterrence power, stressing that a strong naval power must “have something to say” in the face of the world’s naval powers.
Expressing the IRGC’s full preparedness for maritime wars, the top commander said, “We are 100% ready and have achieved capabilities to “fight wars from afar.”
Salami said the IRGC has made remarkable headway in maritime war technologies and naval navigation, adding that no aggression will be left unanswered.
“Naval navigation in naval warfare must be completely strong and distinct. In naval warfare, it is a battle of technologies; where we are attacked, we have not left any aggression without a response and, henceforth, we will not leave any unanswered.”
The IRGC Navy and the IRGC Aerospace Force, on Monday for the first time, test-fired a Zolfaqar-class ballistic missile from one of its warships, which successfully struck its designated target in the Kavir Desert in central Iran.
The missile, with a range of 750 kilometers, was fired from Shahid Mahdavi aircraft carrier, which is a multipurpose vessel for long-range operations and is furnished with missiles, air defense systems, and radars.
Salami said the new achievement had extended the IRGC’s range of influence and naval power up to any desired spot in the world. “Our oceangoing warships can be present in every location across the world, and when we can fire missiles from them, there is accordingly no safe spot for anyone intending to create insecurity for us.”
Iranian military experts and engineers have in recent years made remarkable breakthroughs in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient.
Iranian officials say the Islamic Republic will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense.
Iran has made it clear that its defense capabilities are not subject to negotiation.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has frequently called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities.
