Iran's Acting Defence Minister expresses forces' readiness to respond to any threat
Tehran, Aug 6
Iran's Acting Defence Minister, Brigadier General Majid Ebn-e-Reza, on Thursday expressed the Iranian Armed Forces' readiness to respond to any threat and emphasised that Tehran's capabilities are backed by its domestic defence industry, local media reported.
"Every day, the signs of the enemy's erosion of power become more evident; however, our Armed Forces, relying on the country's defence industry, are fully equipped to respond to any threat," Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), quoted Majid Ebn-e-Reza as saying in a message shared on his social media account.
Majid Ebn-e-Reza warned that nations that want to buy security and military superiority from abroad will soon realise that the indigenous technology of Iran is superior to any system in the region, IRNA reported.
His statement comes amid renewed tensions between Tehran and Washington and US President Donald Trump threatening to strike Iran again.
Trump said on Tuesday (US local time) that Iran will be "hit very hard" if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened "very soon."
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world's most important energy corridors, carrying oil and Liquefied Natural Gas exports from major Gulf producers to international markets.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said the United States is "having very good discussions" with Iran. However, Iran denied having any talks with Washington.
Trump earlier warned that he was giving Iran a "last chance before decapitation", he said that they were talking about opening the Strait of Hormuz "literally by tomorrow".
"I mean they're going to go quickly, one way or the other. It's not very complex", he said at the Oval Office on Monday.
"We're talking about the Strait, the opening of the Strait, having it open, literally by tomorrow", he said, but Iran has denied there were any talks with the US.
While addressing a news briefing in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said, "We are not holding any negotiations with the United States at present."
Speaking a few hours before Trump, he said that except for Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is on a pilgrimage to Iraq, all the negotiators were in Iran.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Trump's "last chance before decapitation" statement is extremely provocative and dangerous. Such language can lead to misunderstandings and catastrophic consequences. Iran's insistence on indigenous technology is commendable, but diplomacy should prevail over threats. India has always advocated dialogue over conflict.
Meanwhile, India's strategic autonomy is being tested. We have strong ties with both US and Iran. Our foreign policy needs to be very careful here - neither our oil security nor our diplomatic relationships should be compromised. Also, this "decimation" talk is just too much, yaar. 😬
I don't understand why the US always tries to control energy routes. Strait of Hormuz is critical for global economy, but threatening to "hit very hard" is not a solution. Iran's defence industry has come a long way since sanctions, but war benefits nobody. The world needs more mature leadership, not bullying tactics.
Interesting times. Trump's approach to Iran has always been transactional - he's clearly frustrated they won't negotiate on his terms. Washington's aggressive posture is a huge concern for Asia Pacific trade. India is particularly vulnerable since we import most of our crude through that corridor. Let's hope cooler heads prevail, because a blockade would affect everything from fuel prices to supply chains in India.
Iran saying "buying security from abroad is useless" while we just bought Rafale jets 😐 Some co-incidence, no? Jokes apart, this is serious - Trump keeps threatening Iran, Iran keeps asserting its military might. Meanwhile, our PM talks about peace and dialogue. India should use its good offices to de-escalate. We can't afford another war
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.