TEHRAN – Iran’s Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said on Wednesday the ministry has now developed into a technological mogul and branched out into other key sectors vital for the country to keep the country running.

In a meeting with members of the parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee on Wednesday, Dehghan said: “Today, Defense Ministry has turned into a large, matchless, and consequential industrial and technological actor. 

“In addition to meeting defense needs, it (Defense Ministry) is not in the service of other mother industries such as steel, oil, petro chemistry, communications, and transport.”

Focus on strengthening and upgrading the defense sector in the recent period has brought important and significant achievements in aviation, aerospace, marine, electronics, ground combat and defense diplomacy, he explained.  

“Expanding the qualitative and quantitative agenda has created upwards of 60,000 jobs in industries outside the ministry.” 

In comments in February, Dehghan announced that plans had been implemented during his tenure to launch systematic cooperation with 95 research centers and universities of the country. 

Later on, Science Minister Mohammad Farhadi put the number of joint research projects with Defense Ministry at 1220, out of which 470 already completed. 

AK/PA