“Iran's missile defense and defense capabilities are of deterrence nature, and this will continue, which means we will continue to test and develop missiles,” Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said on Sunday afternoon, according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
Shekarchi said "this issue is non-negotiatiable and is linked to our national security, so we will not ask for any country’s permission in that regard."
The armed forces’ spokesman added "of course, we give assurances to the countries of the region that the Islamic Republic does not have a greedy eye on the interests of other countries, and these actions are only aimed at deterrence and increased defense capabilities."
Referring to recent threats from the United States that military option is still on the table, he added "we warn that if the Americans and their allies in the region make any strategic mistakes, the Islamic Republic would give such a strong slap that they will regret it forever.”
In response to recent US officials' comments accsuing Iran of sending weapons to the Yemeni army, Shekarchi said “two US officials have had false rethoric recently and have leveled accusations [against Iran] …but the Yemeni people and the army are powerful enough and have good defense equipment that do not need other countries' help.”
He added “given the blockade of Yemen and the large number of [Yemeni] missiles, how is it possible for the Islamic Republic to give missiles to the Yemeni army?”
The senior spokesman for the armed forces further added "the Yemeni people have the adequate equipment, and to this day they have made a lot of achievements by relying on their own defensive capacities, and have rendered Saudi Arabia hopeless.”
He went on to conclude that “Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the United States and the Zionist regime have so far achieved nothing in Yemen, and so Americans have to take such positions in the wake of these failures.”
MNA/4474079