Parliamentarians defend Iran’s missile capability

Iranian parliamentarians have reiterated their support for the country’s missile program, condemning any measure that would undermine national security.

In a statement on Monday, 154 members of Iran’s parliament (Majlis) defended the country’s missile capability. “Undoubtedly, the military strategy of the Islamic Republic is [based on] the policy of deterrence,” they said.

“Arrogant powers and allied regimes increase their military budget every year and seek to produce new fighter jets, submarines, giant aircraft carriers, and ultra-modern missiles, and are constantly attempting to hatch a plot [against Iran] and undermine the Islamic Republic establishment,” the statement read.

The Iranian lawmakers described as “a joke of the history” that “the US on the one hand constantly threatens Iran with military aggression and on the other hand asks Iran to withdraw the policy of expanding its defense and missile [capability].”

The Iranian MPs defended the country’s ballistic missiles as “strategic and conventional” weapons program, saying the US, Israel, some of their Western allies as well as reactionary regimes in the region are arming terrorist groups with advanced weapons to kill innocent people in the Middle East.

The statement further said the US is equipping the “child-murdering and blood-shedding Zionist regime” of Israel as well the “illegitimate” Saudi regime, which is committing genocide in Yemen, with advanced weapons.

The statement comes after some US officials said that a cap should be put on Iran’s missile activities.

Tehran has said it is under no obligation to comply with demands to abandon its missile program and vowed to continue developing ballistic missiles in the face of threats.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that missile power is key to Iran’s future security.

“In this jungle-like world, if the Islamic Republic seeks negotiations, trade and even technology and science, but has no defense power, wouldn’t even small countries dare threaten Iran?” the Leader said.

“Given that our enemies are constantly enhancing their military and missile capabilities, how can we say that the age of missiles has passed?” he added.

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and reached self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) successfully test-fired two more ballistic missiles on March 9 as part of military drills to assess the IRGC’s capabilities. The missiles dubbed Qadr-H and Qadr-F were fired during large-scale drills code-named Eqtedar-e-Velayat.

On March 8, Iran fired a ballistic missile called Qiam from silo-based launchers in different locations across the country.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly assured other nations, especially regional neighbors, that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence and poses no threat to other countries.