WANA (May 04) – Amir Nasirzadeh, Iran’s Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, warned that Iran possesses vast stockpiles of missiles stored in underground cities and will not hesitate to use them against any target, anywhere, if war is imposed on the country.

 

In response to recent remarks by the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Nasirzadeh said: “Unfortunately, we are witnessing contradictory behavior from U.S. officials. While they claim to seek honest negotiations, some American officials repeatedly threaten the Islamic Republic with military action.”

 

He added: “I leave political matters to our political authorities who are pursuing that path wisely. But I strongly recommend that U.S. officials, especially the new defense secretary, study the more than 40-year history of the Islamic Revolution. That history makes it clear: the language of threats does not work with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

 

Nasirzadeh stressed that Iran has never initiated a war in recent decades and will not do so in the future, but if attacked or forced into a war, it will respond with full strength.

 

He stated that if the war is initiated by the U.S. or Israel, “Iran will target their interests, bases, and forces — wherever and whenever necessary — and the Ministry of Defense is working to ensure our armed forces are fully equipped on land, air, and sea.”

 

The minister also revealed the successful testing of a new ballistic missile, developed using lessons from the “True Promise 1 and 2” operations. “This new missile, fired from a range of over 1,200 kilometers, was able to identify and strike its designated target among multiple ones with pinpoint accuracy, without relying on GPS and without deviation of even one meter,” he said.

He added that the missile has improved maneuverability to evade air defense systems and is resistant to electronic warfare: “In this test, the missile was subjected to intense electronic interference, but it was unaffected.”

 

Nasirzadeh further noted that Iran holds many weapons that have never been used before. “In the event of an imposed war, these weapons will be deployed,” he said, repeating that Iran’s underground missile stockpiles would be used immediately and decisively.

 

Regarding regional developments, Nasirzadeh stated: “Yemen is an independent country and makes its own decisions. This has nothing to do with Iran. We advise the U.S. not to stir up new crises in the region. Iran is not responsible for the U.S. aircraft incident caused by ship movement in the Red Sea.”

 

He emphasized Iran’s regional policy: “We have no hostility toward our neighbors. Brotherhood governs our relations. But if Iran is attacked, U.S. bases in the region will be considered legitimate targets.”

 

On Iran’s indigenous defense capabilities, the minister said: “Once we acquire the scientific and technical knowledge to produce military equipment, especially missiles, we quickly move to mass production — and this process continues powerfully. Today, Iran’s armed forces have fully matured in developing both solid- and liquid-fueled missiles. This development continues, drawing from the valuable experience of the ‘True Promise 1 and 2’ operations.”