Velayat-90 Exercises Prove Iran's High Defense Capability: Defense minister

Tehran, Jan 4, IRNA – Minister of Defense and Logistics of the Armed Forces Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said on Tuesday that Velayat-90 military exercises proved high capability of the armed forces to defend the country. He said that the capabilities of various military hardware manufactured by the Defense Ministry were tested during the exercises citing test-firing of Qader, Nasr and Nour surface-to-surface, surface-to-air, and air-to-surface missiles and advanced defense systems. He said that the armed forces also tested advanced electronic and optic communications systems successfully. The defense minister said that display of Iran's defense power indicated the failure of sanctions imposed on the country. He said that the military exercises displayed Iranian soldiers' preparedness to confront any hostile action against Iranian territory, adding that Iran's defense power is at the service of regional peace and stability. Vahidi said that the US misportrays Iran's defense power as a threat to other governments of the region in a bid to persuade them to order large amount of weapons to salvage its crippling economy./end