WANA (Jun 16) – Iran’s Commander-in-Chief of the Army has dismissed reports claiming that the country’s military capabilities have been weakened, stating that Iran’s armed forces remain fully operational and that regional conditions have changed to the point where “adversaries no longer dare to enter the Persian Gulf.”

 

Major General Abdolrahim Hatami said claims that Iran’s naval, air, air defense, and missile forces have been destroyed or rendered ineffective are “completely false.” According to him, the performance of the armed forces during recent confrontations has demonstrated the opposite.

 

Referring to Iran’s air defense network, Hatami said the country’s air defense units remained active until the final moments of the conflict and succeeded in forcing hostile drones and aircraft away from operational areas. He described the performance of the air defense system as one of the key factors in preventing the enemy from achieving its military objectives.

 

The army chief also stressed that no ground operation was launched against Iran, saying opposing forces “did not dare” to initiate a land incursion. He added that had such an operation been attempted, it would have faced a severe response from Iranian forces.

 

Hatami further highlighted the strategic importance of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that recent developments have once again underscored the significance of the waterway for the international community. He said the events demonstrated that the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical routes for energy supplies and global trade.

 

He also referred to public reactions inside Iran, saying that people’s presence in the streets sent a message to Iran’s opponents that their assessment of the country’s resilience and determination had been mistaken. According to Hatami, just as the world has come to recognize the importance of the Strait of Hormuz, Iranians have become increasingly aware of their own significance in regional and international affairs.

 

The commander warned that any future action against Iran would be met with a stronger response. He said hostility toward Iran’s adversaries would not diminish and that any further miscalculation would be met with what he described as “accumulated anger,” making the consequences far more difficult for those involved.

 

Hatami concluded by saying that Iran’s armed forces intend to strengthen the country’s deterrence capabilities in order to consolidate recent achievements and prevent similar threats from emerging in the future.