ISIL Days Numbered, Says Soleimani
Commander of Qods Army Brigadier General Qasem Soleimani said that given heavy defeats sustained by ISIL and other terrorist groups in Iran and Syria, these groups’ days are numbered.
Addressing a ceremony, marking the 36th anniversary of Islamic Revolution’s victory, in Kerman on Thursday, Soleimani added that the last weapon of arrogant powers is provoking and organizing Takfiri groups to tarnish image of Islam and fan the flames of sedition and civil wars among Muslims.
World arrogance has more than ever admitted defeat repeatedly against the Resistance Movement as well as Iran’s might, the commander said.
Referring to Hezbollah recent successful operations against the Zionist regime, Soleimani described Hezbollah as clear example of resistance symbols which can deal a blow to the Zionist regime despite the fact that it is on full stand by.
Iran’s Drones Equipped with Smart Missiles, says Salami
On the other hand, , Lieutenant Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Hossein Salami said Iran’s home-made drones are equipped with high-precision smart missiles.
Iran’s drones have been equipped with high-precision smart missiles that can hit high-speed vehicles with pinpoint precision, Salami said.
The Islamic Republic’s drones can fly thousands of kilometers, he added, noting that they can capture images and transmit them directly or indirectly to terrestrial stations.
Iran in September unveiled a newly-developed drone equipped with home-made hi-tech air-based missiles.
“Drones equipped with air defense missiles have been built” by the Defense Ministry, the Aviation Industries and Aerospace Industries specialists in a move to meet the needs of the Armed Forces, Deputy Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami announced at the time.
He said that the drones had been prepared to be delivered to the Armed Forces after passing different tests, adding that the new aircraft had increased the operational range and zone of the drones as well as their capability to trace, intercept and destroy aggressive aircraft.
“These new drones are capable of destroying different types of aircraft, including fighter jets, drones and helicopters,” Hatami said.
Also in September, Iran unveiled a new drone named ‘Sadeq 1’ during the military parades at the mausoleum of the Founder of the Islamic Republic, the Late Imam Khomeini, South of the capital.
Sadeq 1 flies at a maximum altitude of 25,000 ft. at supersonic speeds. The Iran-made drone was manufactured for testing radar and electronic systems and training assessments.
Iran has recently made giant advancements in aerospace industries, specially in designing and manufacturing pilotless drones.
In November 2013, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan announced that Iran’s new drone enjoys unique strategic capabilities, including 30-hour-long flight durability, and had been developed for combat and surveillance missions.
Dehqan said the new drone, ‘Fotros’, had been designed and built by the Iranian Airplane Manufacturing Industries Company affiliated to the Defense Ministry’s Aviation Industries in cooperation with knowledge-based companies and academic centers and on the basis of the needs of the country’s Armed Forces.
“This strategic drone has an operational range of 2,000 kilometers, and can fly to a ceiling of 25,000 feet in altitude for 16 to 30 hours, and these specifications enable it to conduct combat missions in addition to surveillance and reconnaissance missions,” Dehqan said addressing a ceremony held in Tehran to unveil the new drone.
The minister said Fotros could be armed with various types of “air-to-surface missiles and rockets“.
He underlined that the reliability test of the drone had been successfully conducted in the country’s laboratories and test centers, including standard international land tests at low, medium and high speed, adding that test results have been even better than what was expected.
General Dehqan underlined that Iranian researchers were then working on various models and designs of drones according to the country’s defensive needs.
Also in September 2012, Iran announced that it had started using UAVs for its air defense units as part of its broader plans for strengthening the country’s air defense capability.
The UAV can also be equipped with missiles and used for aerial bombardments as well.
IRNA, FNA
R.S