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Iran has tech to build warships, seeks to expand regionally: IRGC head
Iran has the latest defense technologies to produce warships and is looking to expand its presence in the region, claimed the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami on Wednesday, reported the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
“Today, Iran and the IRGC possess the latest technologies for producing and upgrading military vessels,” said Salami.
Iran should move towards the production of unmanned ships, he said, adding that the country has the “knowledge” to produce such ships.
Despite sanctions, the IRGC’s achievements in defense are “innumerable,” Tasnim cited Salami as saying.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is “pleased” but not “convinced” with the progress made in Iran’s defense capability, said Salami, adding: “That is why we must strive to advance further in this area."
Salami also said that Iran is looking to expand its presence in the region.
“All of our efforts are in order to move the enemy away from the heart of Islam, and for this reason we seek to expand the strategic depth of the Islamic Republic’s presence in the region,” he said, adding that “As per the Supreme Leader
Iran is accused of pursuing aggressive policies in the region, including attacking Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities, threatening shipping in the Arabian Gulf, and continuing to support proxy organizations in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen.
No country has the right to interfere in the fate of the Iranian people, said Salami. “All world powers should know that if they want to play with the fate of the Iranian nation, we will play with their fate.”
Salami had previously claimed that Iran is capable of attacking its enemies anywhere, and that Israel’s destruction is now an “achievable goal.”
Tensions in the region have been heightened after the September 14 attacks on Saudi Aramco oil facilities, which Iran is widely accused of carrying out.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said that the response to Iran must be well-calculated, adding that “The political and peaceful solution is much better than the military one.”
