TEHRAN – Brigadier General Ali Akbar Talebzadeh, Deputy Commander of the Iranian Army's Air Force, announced during a military parade in Bushehr on Saturday that Iran has secured its place among the world's top 10 nations in the space industry.

The event was held to make Sacred Defense Week, an annual commemoration of Iran's eight-year resistance against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein who imposed a devastating war on Iranians in the 1980s. 

Talebzadeh's statement celebrated the achievements of Iran's armed forces, highlighting the country's commitment to self-sufficiency and the development of indigenous military technology. He cited Iran's success in acquiring the expertise to repair the most sophisticated weapons and related systems, as well as breaking the monopoly on the production of fighter jets and drones. “This places Iran on equal footing with global military powers in terms of technological prowess,” the military official explained. 

The commander emphasized the crucial role of unity among Iran's armed forces – the Army, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and civilian volunteers – in preventing enemies from achieving their objectives during the eight years of the Iran-Iraq War. This unity, he argued, was instrumental in safeguarding Iran's national security.

Talebzadeh reiterated that Iran's armed forces remain vigilant, carefully observing regional and global developments to ensure the continued protection of the nation's interests.

Iran's space program has achieved a series of notable milestones in recent months. The country successfully launched the domestically-developed Chamran 1 research satellite into orbit earlier this month. Earlier this year, the homegrown Mahda research satellite and two research cargoes were sent into space aboard the Simorgh satellite launch vehicle. These launches followed the successful deployment of the Soraya satellite by the IRGC Aerospace Force, which reached an orbit 750 kilometers above Earth in just 11 minutes.