Missile Maneuvers, Proof of Unsuccessful Sanctions

IRD: What were the reasons behind Iran’s recent missile maneuver?

AM: There are always two reasons for these maneuvers:

1-      Since these technologies are created inside the country and are not imported, they need to be checked every once in a while to make sure they work when needed and to estimate their technological, engineering and security preparedness.

2-      Iran is under constant threats by Israel and the US; therefore, it needs to show that it is ready to stand against any foreign threat. There was another important point in this maneuver which showed that Iran is able to confront its enemies outside the region as well. This means that Iran can move its defensive front to the Persian Gulf and further, and target land and sea away from Iran.

Many other issues were brought up with this maneuver, but I think another message that this maneuver aimed to convey was that sanctions are not effective on Iran. Iran has always been under sanctions, either unilaterally by the US or by the US and the EU together. But this maneuver showed that no country can impose effective sanctions against Iran anymore, because Iran has been able to create advanced and powerful military networks. Most certainly all the parts for technologies cannot be made domestically and there is a need to import some computer, radar, and engineering parts. Through this maneuver, Iran was able to prove that sanctions have not been effective.

Iran has achieved a new capability, which is hiding the missiles and their bases. Keeping the missiles underground is very difficult, and these bases are in different locations and this has multiplied Iran’s military power.

Moreover, strong forces are brought up in military colleges in Iran who were present in this maneuver, and they practiced their theories in the field and were familiarized with the Sepah’s latest capabilities.

IRD: Can’t this maneuver agitate the West, or even create more Iran-phobia rather than showing off our power to other countries?

AM: Missiles usually increase military defensiveness; therefore, as Iran has always announced this power will not be used to attack other countries. It has to be mentioned that all other countries, from the Persian Gulf to Turkey or the US, conduct military maneuvers and it is very normal. Therefore, all countries have the right to test their military capability, and our armed forces should always be ready, especially since Iran is under constant threats by Israel and the US. They have even announced that if Iran does not stop its nuclear program they will confront it. Evidently, Iran has to test its preparedness with these threats.

I believe that the messages behind these maneuvers are evident:

1-      They are Iran’s right

2-      Iran should be prepared, due to the constant threats it is faced with

3-      These military advancements are for defensive purposes and Iran has never brought up invasion issues. The newly made Ghadir radar also has defensive purposes: this radar identifies and targets objects within a 500 kilometer distance. But even this radar is employed in an attack on other countries.

I believe that these maneuvers have postponed invasion against Iran up to now; as you know Iran was twice seriously threatened during the Bush presidency. However these threats might have decreased during the Obama administration.

On the other hand Israel has always thought about invading Iran and considers Iran a serious threat to the region and the world. Therefore, if it calculates that Iran’s military power has decreased or that the sanctions have been effective they will not hesitate for even a moment and attack Iran. As you know, their missile system is ready to target Iran and the maneuvers they conducted two weeks ago were to practice confronting Iran.

IRD: You mentioned that all missile maneuvers are defensive; were any of them aimed at showing that Iran can invade a specific country?

AM: No, this power was defensive and deterrent; since Iran’s military power is obviously less than its enemies. It could be said that one of the most powerful capabilities of Iran to confront its enemies in the region and other parts of the world are these missiles.

You must have heard that the US is planning to give SU-5 airplanes to Israel; this plane can easily target Iran without any support, and currently Israel has F-16 planes which need to be supported and receive fuel in neighboring countries. The reason behind this that they are not happy about Iran’s progress in its peaceful nuclear program, and want Iran to remain an importing and regressive country. This is while Iran has become a producer or an exporter in many fields. Iran can even export nuclear fuel, which is a catastrophe for its enemies.

Therefore we should say that Iran has crossed all the red lines, because many of the advancements it has reached used to be dominated by some powerful countries, and they are obviously angry that an independent Islamic country has been able to reach this point under sanctions.

IRD: The US State Department spokesperson said that Iran’s missile maneuver was a violation of Resolution 1921. Was this maneuver a response to this resolution?

AM: Yes, this maneuver was in response to this resolution, since it shows that Iran has a powerful military capability in its computer systems, sending and targeting missiles, solid fuel, and entering and exiting the atmosphere.

Therefore, all these technologies show that Iran has advanced in these fields and has been successful despite all the sanctions.