TEHRAN – On Friday, Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Chief of Staff and Deputy Coordinator of the Iranian Army declared that "Iran is fully prepared to confront any threats, no matter where they originate."

"Iran, as a regional power, plays a key and influential role, and therefore, can affect all regional developments," he asserted during an interview with an Iranian news agency.

He also discussed the upcoming large-scale joint military exercise, Zolfaqar, scheduled for February.

"Conducting exercises enhances our defensive capabilities as we test our weapons, practice tactics, control new productions, and examine new technologies," he explained.

Sayyari highlighted that these exercises improve combat readiness and demonstrate the country's deterrent capabilities.

Addressing claims that Iran's defensive capabilities have been weakened, he remarked, "This represents yet another miscalculation by our foes. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has directed us to operate in ways that undermine their calculations, a strategy we successfully implement through power-demonstrating exercises conducted at various intervals."

He continued, "The Iranian nation does not allow anyone to encroach on their land, territorial integrity, resources, or interests."

"We proved this during the Sacred Defense—the period in the 1980s when Iran resisted Saddam Hussein's Iraq's aggression—even when most countries in the world supported our enemy," the Admiral said.

Highlighting that claims of Iran and its armed forces weakening are erroneous, Sayyari pointed out, "These miscalculations are disrupted by showcasing Iran's power, and our enemies will not succeed in this regard."

He also referenced a statement by martyr Hossein Khalatbari, the legendary pilot of the Iranian Air Force, who said, "If even a speck of our homeland's soil sticks to the enemy's boots, we will cleanse it with our blood."

On the importance of border control for national security, Sayyari asserted that is crucial for security and "helps prevent smuggling and unauthorized movements, thereby enhancing security by stopping hostile groups, criminals, and illegal activities."

Discussing defense diplomacy and the defensive power of the armed forces, he said, "Defense diplomacy is a strength of the Islamic Republic of Iran's armed forces. The more robust our defense diplomacy, the better we can interact, travel, and cooperate with other countries."

"We have sent military delegations to countries we have relations with and have received several military delegations from other countries. This proves to global arrogance that we cannot be isolated and that isolation means nothing to us," he stated.

"In our joint exercises with countries worldwide, we have conducted several land, air, and sea exercises. Additionally, various naval groups visit our ports, and our ships travel to other countries," he added.

Sayyari concluded, "These activities demonstrate the high defense diplomacy capabilities of the armed forces and the Iranian army. They send a message to our enemies that we will not be isolated."