“The Air Force is not merely a combat unit in national defense strategy—it is the front line of rapid response to any threat,” Vahedi said while speaking at the 25th elite conscript training course among university students, Press TV reported.
“Controlling and dominating the skies means dominating the battlefield and preserving territorial integrity,” he said, adding that in today’s military equations a nation incapable of defending its airspace will remain vulnerable on land and at sea.
Vahedi highlighted the advancements of Iran’s Army Air Force over the recent decades, stating that “Today, the Air Force can detect threats from the most distant locations and respond decisively in the shortest possible time.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Brigadier General Vahedi addressed the significance of defense self-sufficiency, stating that sanctions and restrictions have proven that reliance on foreign sources is a flawed strategy.
“Today, [Iran’s] Air Force—through the development of attack drones, aircraft maintenance and upgrades, indigenous missile production, and radar systems—has demonstrated to the world that national will can overcome any obstacle,” he added.
Iran has been depending on domestic endeavors and know-how to make significant advances in the direction of enhancing the forces’ self-sufficiency.
Heeding the directives of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country would not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, which are entirely meant for defensive purposes and are, therefore, never subject to negotiation.
MNA
