WANA (Aug 20) – Iran’s Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, stated that the missiles used during the recent 12-day conflict were developed several years ago, while today Iran possesses far more advanced missile capabilities.

 

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with foreign military attachés based in Tehran, held on the occasion of Defense Industry Day, Nasirzadeh told reporters:

 

“In the 12-day war, we faced not just the Zionist regime alone, but a power that was fully supported. All of America’s logistical, intelligence, and operational backing was present in that war.”

 

He stressed that the Iranian Armed Forces relied entirely on domestically produced equipment during the conflict:

 

“Throughout the sacred 12-day defense, we had no reliance whatsoever on foreign resources. Everything used in the war came from our own defense industries. The world witnessed that the missiles launched struck their intended targets and inflicted heavy damage on the Zionist enemy.”

 

Nasirzadeh also pointed to extensive Israeli media censorship, saying: “Although the Zionist regime’s media blackout prevented the full extent of Iranian missile strikes from being shown, information on these strikes was gradually released, clearly demonstrating the capabilities of the Iranian Armed Forces. We now possess missiles with much stronger features than those deployed in that war, which were not yet used.”

Trace of an Irainan missile is seen in the sky in Tehran, Iran, June 18, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

A trace of an Iranian missile is seen in the sky in Tehran, Iran, June 18, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Referring to missile advancements, he noted: “The missiles used during the 12-day war were manufactured by the Defense Ministry years ago. Today, however, we have built and deployed new missiles with far superior capabilities. Should the Zionist regime embark on another adventure, we will certainly employ them.”

 

The minister highlighted the performance of Israeli defense systems during the conflict: “All of the defense systems that are considered among the strongest—such as THAAD, MIM-104 Patriot, Iron Dome, and Arrow—were used during the war. Despite these, in the early days, the Zionist regime could only intercept about 40 percent of our missiles.”

 

“By the final days, however, 90 percent of our missiles were striking their targets. This demonstrated not only that our experience was increasing but also that the enemy’s defense capacity was diminishing. Had the war continued, the upper hand would certainly have belonged to the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic, he added.”

 

Nasirzadeh also underlined the importance of defense diplomacy as a peaceful means of military engagement: “Defense diplomacy is one of the peaceful approaches to military and defense relations. We maintain such diplomacy with friendly nations and enjoy good relations with most countries around the world. Therefore, defense diplomacy remains one of the Defense Ministry’s main strategic priorities.”

A new surface-to-surface 4th generation Khorramshahr ballistic missile called Khaibar with a range of 2,000 km is launched at an undisclosed location in Iran, in this picture obtained on May 25, 2023. Iran’s Ministry of Defence/WANA (West Asia News Agency)