Iran’s state-of-the-art weapons game changer in intl. arena

Second Brigadier General Hamzeh Qalandari said the world was surprised by Iranian weapons after the lifting of a 13-year UN arms embargo in October 2020.

“A country that had problems in all areas and was prohibited from any technology has today reached a place on the edge of technology, with its weapons described in international media as a ‘game changer,’” he told IRNA.

“This fact led many countries to buy Iranian weapons or renovate and rebuild their own defense equipment using Iranian technology and equipment following the removal of the embargo.”

Elsewhere in his interview, Qalandari referred to the talks between Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani and his counterparts on the sidelines of a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)’s defense ministers in the Indian capital of New Delhi late last month.

“Most of the meetings featured a serious willingness to form an alliance and improve the level of defense and security cooperation with the Islamic Republic,” he said.

“All SCO countries also asked for using Iran’s experience in the fight against terrorism and its spread to the region and the world. Another request, which was made in almost all meetings, was to have a close look at Iran’s defense achievements.”

Qalandari also drew a parallel between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a US-led military alliance, and the SCO, a Eurasian political, economic, international security and defense organization.

Unlike NATO, the SCO has focused on expanding its influence based on cooperation rather than power and force, he said, adding that the Eurasian organization has tried to distance itself away from military issues and seek stability in conflict zones as well as joint economic cooperation.

“Perhaps the Ukraine crisis is a practical example showing that NATO’s capability is declining like the power of the United States. It is contrary to the advancing path pursued by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,” he said.

MNA/PR