Iran: ‘Young Pious Generation’ Making State-of-the-Art Missiles and Drones

A “young pious generation” of Iranians are developing cutting-edge technology in the missile, drone, and radar industries, the country’s Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh declared on Thursday.

Addressing an academic ceremony in Tehran, according to the pro-regime Tasnim News Agency, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official gave an optimistic outlook on the country’s military strength, despite the economic crisis affecting people’s standards of living, a product of the regime’s mismanagement of billions in funds it received during the Obama era and the ongoing reimposed sanctions under the Trump administration.

“Such capabilities have been achieved with the unwavering efforts of the country’s young pious generation,” he said, adding that “sanctions imposed by the enemies, particularly on the missile industry, have ended in failure and turned into opportunities for Iran.”

He added that the “remarkable achievements in the military industry could be used in other spheres, noting that the IRGC Aerospace Force has established an effective connection with academic and scientific centers and the knowledge-based companies.”

Senior Iranian officials regularly emphasize the importance of Iran developing its military capabilities to thwart hostile plots that could affect the regime’s stability. Last month, Ayatollah Seyed Ali made similar remarks about the importance of “young pious and motivated” Iranian soldiers and called “for accelerated efforts and increased preparedness to counter the adversaries.”

“Increase your capabilities and preparedness as much as you can, so that the enemies of Iran would not even dare threaten this great (Iranian) nation,” he told an audience of military commanders.

Iran regularly threatens other countries, principally the United States and Israel. In August, the deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Gen. Rasoul Sanayee Raad, warned that any war between the two countries would inflict “heavy damage” on the U.S.

“War against Iran will have nothing for the U.S. but heavy costs and the Islamic Republic of Iran’s deterrent power can inflict heavy damage on the U.S.,” he said. “The U.S. has understood that there will be no ultimate victory in case it opens war against Iran and that it cannot guarantee avoiding it from becoming a war of attrition.”

In April, Iranian military leaders also vowed to “annihilate” Israel tensions between the two sides mounted over the ongoing civil war in Syria.

“Hands are on the trigger and missiles are ready and will be launched at any moment that the enemy tries to carry out its sinister plot against (our) lands,” said Abdolrahim Mousavi, the head of Iran’s army, at the time. “If any war happens, it will definitely be followed by your annihilation.”

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