Iran’s Guards Unveil Underground Missile Bases Amid Nuclear Talks
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has unveiled two underground bases for attack drones and missiles, as nuclear talks with world power have reached a critical stage.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has unveiled two underground bases for attack drones and missiles, as nuclear talks with world power have reached a critical stage.
The “two cities of missiles and drones” were inaugurated on Saturday concurrent with the visit of International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi to Tehran and the final days of the Vienna talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal known as JCPOA.
According to Sepah News, IRGC’s information website, the bases are constructed in the form of tunnels (video) in the heart of high mountains and house ground-to-ground missile systems and attack drones, including drones with a range of 2,000 kilometers, two-missile launch platforms and multi-drone launch platforms. The locations of the bases are not disclosed.
The commander IRGC’s Aerospace Force, Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, emphasized the long range of the drones and the capacity of these bases during a ceremony, saying that “We can simultaneously launch 60 UAVs from the drone base” and “we can hit any hostile target.”
Hajizadeh added, “The power of our missile fire and simultaneous launches have increased more than six to seven times, and the preparation time… has been greatly reduced.”
Pentagon says it is working hard to contribute to the self-defense needs of allies and partners in the region to counter threats posed by Iran’s missile program while Iran says it will become one of the world's biggest arms exporters once US sanctions are lifted.
"The American adventurisms are behind the recent incidents in Ukraine,” Mohammad-Javad Haj-Aliakbari told Tehran's Friday prayer congregation. “The one responsible is America, which has sacrificed Ukraine to its own greed.”
In Qom, the imam Mohammad Saeedi said “America and the western barbarians wage regional and international wars to sell their weapons." He suggested that "the management of the world" would be better in the hands of "pious people."
In Sari, provincial capital of Mazandaran, Mohammad-Bagher Mohammadi said Moscow was entitled to ensure its own security given Nato’s expansion in eastern Europe. Russia “attacked Ukraine to make Nato give up its meaningless thoughts,” he told his congregation.
Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader Tuesday called for a peaceful settlement while suggesting Ukraine had fallen victim to US policies. “Support by Western governments for administrations and politicians that have been installed by them is a mirage,” Khamenei said, referring to the messy withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan after Washington’s agreement with the Taliban.
Khamenei also claimed that Ukrainians were not resisting strongly "because they did not agree with [their] government." Kayhan newspaper made a similar allegation this week referring to “scarecrow” defense, while the world has watched the fighting and many have admired the Ukrainian resistance to the invasion.
Puppets
Hasan Alidadi, Friday imam in Kerman province, made similar remarks in his sermon Friday: "Regarding the recent Russian attack on Ukraine…when governments are puppets and people's role is not marked, city after city surrenders as fast as you see." Yousef Tabatabeinejad, the Friday imam in Esfahan, also argued Ukrainians were leaving because "they are not in agreement with the government".
General guidelines for over 600 Friday sermons are set out by the Friday Prayer Policymaking Council, whose head and members are appointed by Khamenei.
Alongside India, Iraq, Pakistan and South Africa, Iran was among 35 countries that abstained from a vote Wednesday at UN General Assembly condemning Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Four countries − Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea and Syria − joined Russia in voting against the motion. Israel ended up voting in favor after earlier expressing neutrality.
Support voiced for Ukraine
While the government, its media and imams have supported Russia, thousands of Iranians on social media have condemned the invasion and vented anger at leaders for siding with Moscow.
Even in government-controlled media, some pundits and editors have cautiously criticized Russia and demanded a more neutral position by Iran.
Mohammad-Reza Khabbaz, a reformist former member of parliament, told Arman-e Melli newspaper in an article published Thursday that he had expected Iran “to oppose such aggression and condemn it in the early days.” Khabbaz said Iran should “condemn those [in the west] who were responsible for creating these circumstances but shouldn't allow Russia to take benefit from our silence.”