TEHRAN – The Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces announced on Tuesday that efforts made by martyrs, including Hassan Tehrani Moqaddam, turned Iran into the greatest missile power in the strategic West Asia region. 

In mid-November 2011, a huge blast at the Alqadir missile base at Bid Ganeh, 30 miles to the west of Tehran, killed 17 of Iran’s elite forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, including Major General Hassan Tehrani Moqaddam. He was described as the pioneer of Iran’s missile program.

“Martyr Tehrani Moqaddam’s efforts caused Iran to be the first missile power in the region,” Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said on the sidelines of the Basij achievements exhibition.

He further said, “Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran, similar to its sustainable might in hardware war and defense fields, has also attained great achievements in software war.”

The commander said resistance against global oppressors, promotion of the Islamic Revolution’s ideas and revealing the true nature of hegemonic powers, especially the U.S., are some of Iran’s achievements in software war. 

“The U.S. which is seemingly decreasing the number of its military bases around the world is, in fact, losing its own ideological standing among people worldwide,” the major general added. 

Iran has made good progress in building different home-made air defense systems.

In August, the country unveiled a home-made version of the sophisticated Russian S-300 missile defense system, dubbed as Bavar (Belief) 373 with the capability to target ballistic missiles.

Bavar 373 was unveiled in a ceremony participated by President Hassan Rouhani and Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami.

"Bavar 373 is the most important indigenized missile defense system whose design and manufacturing started a few years ago and can engage multiple targets in high altitudes," Hatami said at the time.

The anti-air defense system can detect 60 targets, identify 13 targets and engage 6 targets.

The system is much more powerful than the Russian S-300 and some of its features could be compared with S-400.  

Iran’s defense power has unsettled nerves in the U.S. and Tel Aviv.

MJ/PA