Iran reinforces military defences, modernises sites, parliament speaker says

Iran has reinforced its military defences and modernised key sites, making them harder to target, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on March 17. 

Speaking at a press conference, Ghalibaf dismissed the notion that Iranian military facilities could be destroyed by bombers, citing “fundamental changes” to the country’s defence systems. Ghalibaf said launch platforms and related equipment have been upgraded to reduce vulnerability, and Iran has increased its missile and drone capabilities, Caliber.Az reports via Iranian media.

Turning to Iran’s missile and drone stockpiles, he noted that domestic production enables faster and more cost-effective manufacturing compared with the interceptor missiles of its rivals.

The remarks come as the war between Iran, the United States, and Israel enters its 18th day. On February 28, Washington and Tel Aviv carried out a series of strikes on Iranian targets, inflicting extensive damage, causing civilian casualties, and killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several senior commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Iran responded with retaliatory actions that reverberated across the region, impacting countries including Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

By Sabina Mammadli