IRGC Aerospace chief: Iran more prepared than ever against enemies

Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC’s Aerospace Division, made the remarks as cited by Ebrahim Rezaei, the spokesman for the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, during a meeting between the senior commander and the committee, Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.

Pointing to the Islamic Republic’s defense capabilities, not least in the missile and drone sectors, Rezaei cited Hajizadeh as saying, “Iran is stronger and more prepared today than in the past, and no military threat against the country has a real basis.”

The IRGC commander also described last year’s retaliatory operation of True Promise II against the occupied territories as “the largest missile operation in the world,” and said over 75% of the missiles hit their designated targets, with the success sending a clear message to the enemies, especially the Israeli regime, the Iranian MP said.

Rezaei cited Hajizadeh as saying that the recent propaganda suggesting Iran's defense capabilities are on the wane had been created by Hebrew and Western media.

“The enemies are trying to deceive public opinion by portraying a weakened image of the Islamic Republic; while Iran's military power has not only not decreased but has also increased compared to the past,” Hajizadeh said, according to Rezaei.

“Iran's enemies are now more vulnerable than ever in the face of Iran's offensive capabilities and are unable to inflict damage on the country's defense structure.”

Days after Zionist regime’s deadly attack on the Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria that martyred seven members of its armed forces, including two generals, on April 1, 2024, the IRGC launched extensive missile and drone strikes against the occupied territories, in an operation called Operation True Promise I.

On October 1, 2024, Iran again launched a barrage of missiles toward the Zionist entity’s military and intelligence and spying bases. Operation True Promise II was carried out in response to the regime’s assassinations of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah’s leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan.

Iranian officials have underscored that the country only deployed a fraction of its firepower during the dual reprisal.

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior military advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, reaffirmed in March that Iran remains steadfast in its commitment to launch Operation True Promise III against the Israeli regime in response to acts of aggression against the country by Tel Aviv.

The official indicated that the operation would be carried out in due course at Ayatollah Khamenei’s discretion and based on the Leader’s prudence.