TEHRAN – A top Army commander said on Tuesday that Iran is capable of carrying out military operations outside its borders.

“Today, thanks to the Islamic Revolution, the Army is capable of both defending and carrying out operations outside the borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Second Brigadier General Mohsen Azar-Afrouz during a ceremony to mark the National Army Day.

He further said that the Islamic Republic would “disgrace” its enemies in case of aggression on its soil.

Iranian Army held massive military parades across the country on Tuesday morning, with high-ranking officials including President Hassan Rouhani attending the events.

During the parades, Army units put on display their latest achievements, including a wide variety of missiles, tanks, armored vehicles, rifles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), fighter jets, radar systems and air defense missile systems.

Sayyad-3 (Hunter-3), a homegrown long-range missile used for air defense, was showcased in a ceremony held near the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini.

Other military equipment put on display included S-300 air defense missile system, Zolfaqar tank, personnel carriers, cannons, speedboats, torpedoes and bombs.

Also the warships, destroyers and frigates sailed across the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea for parades.

During military parades in Qazvin, Second Brigadier General Hamzeh Bidadi called the Iranian Army “the most powerful military in the Muslim world.”

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous military equipment, attaining self-sufficiency in the arms sphere.

However, the Islamic Republic maintains that its military power is to defend itself, and that Iran poses no threat to the regional countries.

MH/PA