“Before the (Islamic) Revolution, building equipment, providing training and decision-making about Iran’s Armed Forces were all fulfilled by the foreigners but today, the brave sons of the Islamic Iran have reached self-sufficiency in supplying equipment, training and other activities related to decision-making in the military field,” Sayyari said in Tehran on Friday night.
He underlined Iran’s power and clout in the region, and said, “No one in the region can think and make a decision without Iran’s contribution and partnership.”
In relevant remarks in November, Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Brigadier General Aboutaleb Shafaqat underlined Tehran’s self-sufficiency in supplying its defense needs, and said Iran no more needs to import defensive tools and equipment from other countries.
“Special weapons should be used appropriately and based (on the needs which arise at) specific periods of time,” Shafaqat said in the Northern city of Babol last month.
“Today, we are honored that we have been able to grow needless in the defense equipment sector with the help of our young scientists and thinkers and now we provide all the needs of the Armed Forces with the best quality,” he added.
Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and even fighter planes.
Yet, Tehran has always insisted that its arms development programs are for defensive purposes only.
