Iran�s defense minister says the country has made remarkable advancements in producing military equipment following the 1979 Revolution.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with khamenei.ir, the official website of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiani said the Revolution turned a military force heavily dependent on the United States into a self-sufficient force equipped with a variety of homegrown equipment.

He said the Islamic Republic has since its inception had to deal with enmities rooted in the new system�s beliefs and values, including its support for the oppressed people in West Asia and around the world.

The general said throughout the years, enemies have taken each and every opportunity to bring the Islamic Republic to its knees, but they have proven unable to reach that goal. The minister said Iran has tried hard to boost its deterrent defensive power, and it has had great achievements and is now on the path of becoming a world power.

�In the defense sector, we have achieved a [high] status in the international arena in a very short period. The world started [this path] two-hundred years ago and we started 30 or 40 years ago. [The enemies] fear the acceleration of our growth and say considering this trend Iran can�t be stopped,� he said.

The general said demand for Iran-made military equipment has increased rapidly in recent years.

�Many countries have come to us asking for equipment. This perception that the Islamic Republic is capable and powerful forces enemies to back off.�

�Today, the world sees that the Islamic Republic is so powerful that it�s producing strategic weapons and exporting them. They see that we are playing a role in the region.�

He said Iran�s military forces are now capable of detecting the enemies� weak points and create designs on how to hit hostile forces where it really hurts.

The general said Iran�s adversaries now can�t deal with its defensive power and its clout in the region.

�I�m certain that considering the international situation, the enemy can�t even imagine having a greedy eye [on Iran] or for example having a military operation. It can by no means do this.�

 

 

By PRESS TV�