US Cannot Ignore Iran’s Weapons Capabilities, Says Ali Fadavi

A commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the United States cannot hide its concern about the growing military capabilities of the Iranian elite force.

Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, the IRGC Navy chief, said that the strategic weapons tested by the IRGC in its recent drills in south Iranian waters have been a matter of concern for Washington.

“We now have access to new and strategic weapons with exclusive features and while the United States claims it is not worried about these weapons, it cannot hide its concern,” Fadavi said in an interview with al-Alam News Channel.

IRGC began a series of major military drills code-named The Great Prophet 9 on February 25 in the southern Persian Gulf region east of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. In the second day of the maneuvers, a huge model of a US aircraft carrier was struck with nearly 400 rounds of 107-millimeter missiles .

He emphasized that a new missile tested in the recent IRGC naval exercise was a strategic and exclusive weapon that the United States cannot take lightly.

The senior Iranian commander also highlighted the weakening position of the US Navy in the Persian Gulf, saying that the number of US forces in the area has dramatically dropped over the past several years.

 “The United States had over a million troops in the region during the Kuwait war, but the figure has tumbled to 26,000 with a lesser logistic capability,” he said.

He said IRGC is closely monitoring the developments in the Arab Gulf, an area which is under international control. However, Fadavi added that US forces “are not in conditions” to threaten Iranian forces as they are aware of Iran’s dominance in the region.

IRGC officials said a new strategic weapon was successfully tested in the last leg of their major maneuvers. Various types of weaponry were also tested during the drills with some of them being introduced for the first time.

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