“The power wielded by [Iran’s] Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and Army have provided the country with security today and awarded it with active deterrence capability,” the defense chief said on Sunday in Tehran.

Iran’s enemies, however, have a hard time putting up with this reality, he added.

Nevertheless, they should know this that the Iranian servicemen “will resolutely keep on the path of the country’s martyrs in their purpose to safeguard the nation and Islam” under the command of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Hatami asserted.

Iran’s military forces, he added, will not abandon their struggle until they achieve victory and stand up to the world’s hegemonic powers just like a “solid arm,” the defense minister stated.

The minister was making the remarks at a ceremony held in commemoration of the former deputy chief of the IRGC’s Quds Force, General Mohammad Hejazi, who passed away earlier this month after years of suffering from the effects of chemical weapons used during the Western-backed Iraqi war of the 1980s on Iran.

Hatami noted the late military official’s remarkable contribution to Iran’s advisory support for Syria against foreign-backed Takfiri terrorists.

He said it was the late official and Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the Quds Force’s former commander, who defeated the US and the terrorists’ efforts to afflict harm on “the roots of Islam and the Islamic Revolution in the region.”

General Soleimani, who used to direct the Iranian support for Damascus, was martyred in an American drone strike against Baghdad early last year. The atrocity came some three years after Tehran’s assistance enabled Syria to defeat the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh.

As a result of the commanders’ endeavor, the regional resistance front has grown into a “an influential force to reckon with” in the face of the Israeli regime and the US, the defense chief concluded.

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IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has visited Tehran where he held “very fruitful” talks his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Amir Hatami, saying they exchanged views on regional security and bilateral ties.

In a tweet on Sunday, Singh posted pictures of his meeting with Hatami in Tehran, saying the two sides had also discussed the situation in Afghanistan.

In another tweet, the Indian defense minister’s office said the meeting between Singh and Hatami took place in “a cordial and warm atmosphere,” adding both officials “emphasized upon the age-old cultural, linguistic and civilizational ties between India and Iran.”

Singh traveled to Tehran after concluding his three-day visit to Moscow, where he held talks with his counterparts from Russia, China and the Central Asian states.

Singh on Sunday said he discussed with his Iranian counterpart ways to bolster bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional security issues, including the situation in Afghanistan.

Singh reached Tehran from Moscow on Saturday on a transit halt after concluding his three-day visit to Russia where he attended a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defense ministers. He also held bilateral talks with his counterparts from Russia, China and the Central Asian countries.

“Had a very fruitful meeting with Iranian defense minister Brigadier General Hatami in Tehran. We discussed regional security issues including Afghanistan and the issues of bilateral cooperation,” he said in a tweet.

“Both the Defense Ministers discussed ways to take forward bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on regional security issues, including peace and stability in Afghanistan,” Singh’s office said in a separate tweet on the meeting held on Saturday at the request of the Iranian defense minister.

The meeting between the two ministers took place in a “cordial and warm atmosphere,” it said, adding that the leaders emphasized upon the age-old cultural, linguistic and civilizational ties between India and Iran.

Singh’s visit to Iran is considered to be significant as it came a day after he voiced India’s deep concern about the situation in the Persian Gulf and called upon the countries in the region to resolve their differences through dialogue based on mutual respect.

A series of incidents in the Persian Gulf involving Iran, the U.S. and the UAE in recent weeks have flared up tension in the region.

“We are deeply concerned about the situation in the Persian Gulf,” Singh said in his address at a meeting of the SCO in Moscow on Friday.

“We call upon countries in the region – all of which are dear and friendly to India, to resolve differences by dialogue based on mutual respect, sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs of each other,” he said in his address at the combined meeting of defense ministers of the SCO, Collective Security Treaty Organization and Commonwealth of Independent States member states.

India-Iran commercial ties were traditionally dominated by Indian import of Iranian crude oil. In 2018-19 India imported USD 12.11 billion worth of crude oil from Iran.

However, following the end of the Significant Reduction Exemption (SRE) period on May 2, 2019, India has suspended importing crude from Iran, according to the Indian Embassy here.

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IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said that Islamic Republic of Iran will export weapons and arms after sanctions imposed against the country are lifted.

Speaking on Sunday in a ceremony held on the occasion of National Defense Industry Day, Hatami added, “Iran will use all capacities in the world to meet its arms requirements, selling and exporting weapons after sanctions removal.”

He congratulated the National Defense Industry Day and stated, “In fact, the defense industry is the strategic depth of the country and science and technology field is the support for the defense industry of the country.”

The Islamic Republic of Iran owes its success in the defense industry to the guidance and wise leadership of Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Hatami added.

He pointed to the key role of media and added, “We are facing many developments in the region and in the current situation, media play a leading and key role in this field.”

Iranian media outlets and Armed Forces played their key role with regard to the dissemination of accurate information in regional events, he emphasized.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Hatami pointed to the salient characteristics of the defense industry and added, “We are able to meet more than 90 percent of our defense requirements so that we could materialize our predefined objectives in the defense field that Iran should be the first power in the region in the field of science and technology in 2025 Defense Outlook.”

Any sanctions cannot dissuade Iran to strengthen its defense power and capability, he underlined.

Turning to the latest achievements of the defense industry of the country, Hatami added, “Some parts of country’s defense achievements would be unveiled on August 22 in the presence of Iranian President which are in the fields of aviation, missile, drone and maritime.”

Iranian Ministry of Defense has established very close relationships and interaction with knowledge-based companies, academic centers, universities and private sector firms, he said, adding, “Knowledge-based companies and academic centers have a great share in defense industry achievements greatly.”

He once again stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran will export its arms and weapons after sanctions lift, adding, “Sanctions did not create any restrictions, rather, the country attained all progresses and achievements in the defense industry in sanctions condition.”

In response to a question on the space activity of the Ministry of Defense, Hatami stated, “The space program of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a permanent program and has gone through several stages.”

He further pointed to a military exercise launched between Iran, Russia and Chinas last year (ended March 20, 2020) and added, “Due to the spread of coronavirus, the military exercise between Iran, China and Russia was halted in the current year.”

Organizing military exercise is the common and regular practice of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he said, adding, “After the termination of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, the cooperations for joint tripartite military exercise between Iran, China and Russia will be resumed with utmost power.”

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According To Iran News, Defense Minister of Iran Brigadier General Amir Hatami warned the Persian Gulf countries not to make the “strategic mistake” of allowing the US entry into the region, cautioning that insecurity in the Persian Gulf will make the whole regional states insecure.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a visit to a naval factory of the Defense Ministry in Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas on Friday, Brigadier General Hatami said Iran is doing its utmost to ensure security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Security of the Persian Gulf is in the common interest of all regional countries, the general noted, adding, “The countries in this gulf’s region are responsible for ensuring and maintaining security, and the neighbors’ move to allow the US entry into the region is a strategic mistake.”

“When the Persian Gulf region is safe, all regional countries will benefit from such security, but if the Persian Gulf becomes insecure, it will be insecure for all countries in the region,” the minister warned.

He also took a swipe at the outsiders for fomenting insecurity and crisis in the region under the pretext of ensuring security of the Persian Gulf, saying the foreigners are seeking to sell billions of dollars in arms and maintain their bases in the region by inciting Iranophobia, creating crisis in the Persian Gulf, and making the Persian Gulf countries dependent on outsiders for security.

The minister also paid a visit to the industrial shops manufacturing two military vessels, a destroyer and a minesweeper.

He said the homegrown ‘Dena’ destroyer is a Mowj-class vessel that will be equipped with advanced systems and will soon join the Iranian Navy’s fleet.

The general further hailed the production of ‘Saba’ minesweeper as a glory of the Iranian military technicians in the naval combat sphere, saying the warship will begin to detect and counter the threat of naval mines in the regional waters.

General Hatami then reaffirmed that the Defense Ministry will fully support the naval industries to enable them to protect the country’s territorial waters in the international waters, the Sea of Oman, and the coasts of Makran.

“The Iranian Navy’s powerful presence is considered as a reliable support in the fight against terrorism in the seas,” the minister underscored.

Iran has frequently criticized the presence of foreign forces in the Persian Gulf, stressing that it disrupts security in the region and that only regional states are responsible for safeguarding the security in the body of water.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has already underlined that the security of the Persian Gulf region comes within the purview of the regional countries alone.

“The Persian Gulf security relates to the countries of the region which have common interests, and not to the US. So, the security of the Persian Gulf region should be provided by the countries of this region itself,” the Leader said in 2016.

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IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami has voiced Iran’s willingness to forge a strategic partnership with neighboring Iraq and turn bilateral ties into a “successful model for cooperation.”

Hatami made the comments on Sunday during a video call with his Iraqi counterpart, Lieutenant General Juma Anad Saadoun Khattab, who was recently appointed to the post by new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

Hatamai underlined the need for defense cooperation between Baghdad and Tehran to restore security and stability in the region.

“We are willing to offer all our potential to Iraq and become strategic partners and turn our bonds into a successful model of cooperation,” he said.

Iran has maintained close ties with Iraq since the ouster of former dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

In 2014, when Daesh unleashed its campaign of terror in Iraq, Iranian military advisers rushed to the aid of Iraqi armed forces on Baghdad’s request, helping them reverse Daesh’s gains and ultimately liberate their entire homeland from the Takfiri terrorist group some three years later.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Hatami congratulated the Iraqi defense minister on his appointment and wished him success in his career.

He also expressed his satisfaction with the formation of the new Iraqi administration, saying, “A united, independent and powerful Iraq, with the participation of all ethnic and religious groups, is our principled policy.”

“Therefore, we hope that the Iraqi government will be successful in fulfilling its inherent responsibilities and duties, especially in materializing national demands, improving economic conditions and fighting the coronavirus disease.”

Hatami also touched on the common history, culture and religion of the two neighbors, and extended an invitation to his Iraqi counterpart for an official visit to the Islamic Republic.

Iraq swore in al-Kadhimi as the new prime minister earlier this month after months of political deadlock that had hampered the country’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic and stepped-up Daesh operations.

The United States is strongly opposed to close relations between Iran and Iraq, pressuring Baghdad to keep Tehran at an arm’s length.

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IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami lambasted the US’ illegal presence in the Persian Gulf region, saying the Americans are the main reason behind any insecurity in the region.

“The Americans have come from across the world to the Persian Gulf, and yet, make unfounded claims about security,” the defense made the comment on Friday on the sidelines of the National Army Day celebrations in Tehran.

“We are here at our home, while they have come from thousands of miles away, putting other countries in trouble by sanctions and threats,” he added.

On Wednesday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that 11 high-speed boats, belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), have been moving alongside six US warships in the Persian Gulf.

Yesterday, President Hassan Rouhani congratulated the National Army Day, saying the Islamic Republic’s Army is the “guardian of the Iranian’s lives”.

In a message on Friday, Rouhani described “the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran as not the symbol of warmongering, but rather the manifestations of popular support and national interests,” stressing that “whether in war or peace, the Army is the guardian of Iran and Iranians’ lives.”

“Throughout the existence of the human beings, defending and confronting the enemy has always been one of the beauties of human life, and today we see this beauty both in the face of the visible enemy and in the face of the hidden enemy,” Rouhani said.

The president referred to the selfless efforts of the Iranian Armed Forces in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, saying, “The army is the guardian of Iran’s life, whether in war –hard war or soft war- or peace, whether on the front or on the street, whether in the barracks or in the hospital and the life of Iran is the life of all Iranians.”

“Today, the soldiers and generals of the Army, the commanders and the soldiers of the Army of the Guardians, along with the health defenders and the supporters of protecting the lives of the people, are creating an epic point in the history with empathy,” Rouhani said.

“In these difficult times, the armies around the world are less involved in the war, but a hidden enemy has come to fight all human beings.”

“The world will not forget this war. The most humane war in history in which all human beings and all armies fight for human beings,” he added.

He noted that “the greatness of the Army’s work at various stages in the social stage of helping the nation and the state during floods, earthquakes, diseases and other social disasters further proves the need to maintain the strength in war and defense in times of peace.”

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According To Iran News, In a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, Iranian Minister of Defense Brigadier General Amir Hatami said that Iran is ready to give harsh response to any of the enemies’ adventurous measures.

Referring to the assassination of IRGC Quds Force Commander Lt. Gen. Qasem Soleimani by the US terrorist forces in Baghdad, he said “once more, the Americans showed their terrorist face to the world.”

“Soleimani’s martyrdom will not put an end to resistance but is a revival for the Resistance Axis,” he added.

He called for all the regional countries and independent ones in the world to condemn the US’ assassination of the Iranian General.

Calling for regional stability, the Turkish minister Hulusi Akar, for his part, noted that no one will take advantage of tensions in the region.

He also called for the continuation of Iran-Turkey cooperation on mutual and regional issues.

In his earlier remarks on Thursday, Hatami referred to the role of Iran’s missile power in response to the US heinous act in the assassination of IRGC Quds Force Commander Gen. Soleimani, reiterating that “the United States gave in to Iran’s high missile capability and potential.”

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According To Iran News, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami warned the US that it will get a crushing response for the martyrdom of IRGC Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani.

In a statement on Friday morning, General Hatami offered condolences over the martyrdom of Major General Soleimani in a “terrorist attack” by the “bloodsucking US” regime.

He also paid tribute to the martyred general as a brave guardian of Iran who devoted his life to safeguarding the Islamic Revolution and Muslim territories.

“Undoubtedly, such a terrible crime that is hard evidence of the rascality of the Great Satan, the world-plundering US, and of its absolute support for terrorism in the region and in Iraq, will be responded in a crushing manner, and the revenge for the blood (of General Soleimani) shed unjustifiably will be taken against all perpetrators,” the defense minister underlined.

The White House and the Pentagon confirmed the assassination of General Soleimani in Iraq, saying the attack was carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump.

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According To Iran News, Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said that Iran will respond promptly to any threat and aggression, adding that Iran does not need any permission to strengthen its missile and defense capabilities.

Commemorating the 9 Dey Epic which refers to the mass rallies held in support of Islamic establishment and put an end to foreign-orchestrated riots, he said that it is a symbol of Iranians’ dignity, vigilance, and awareness, who sought to save Islamic principles and Revolutions’ goals against the enemies.

Referring to strategic position of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region and world, he said that Iran is at a strategic point, and it has always stood against any excessive demands and domineering policy, emphasizing its fundamental principles and strategic policy, namely the preservation of independence, freedom, and rejection of any kind of domination.

Referring to the necessity of increasing the defensive power of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite the most severe sanctions, he noted that the enemies should know that Iran will respond promptly and boldly to any threat and aggression.

Iran will do its best to strengthen its missile and defense power, Hatami added.

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