Iran's "Zolfaghar" mobile ballistic missile is displayed at a pro-government rally in Tehran. [EPA]
Iran's "Zolfaghar" mobile ballistic missile is displayed at a pro-government rally in Tehran. [EPA]

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that if a new war breaks out with the United States or other adversaries, it will deploy more destructive weapons than it has used in the past.

IRGC spokesperson Hassan Mohammadi made the warning in an interview with Defapress, an Iranian defense-focused outlet, saying Iran's missile combat effectiveness and overall military strength had grown significantly following what he called its "imposed wars."

"We are constantly making progress in all areas of military weaponry and are producing weapons that are more precise, more destructive and technologically more advanced," he said.

He added that if a new war were to occur, Iran's weapons would be "decidedly different" from those used before, with advances spanning warhead generations, strike accuracy and missile range.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has never once halted the production and development of weapons, and every avenue for advancement in this field remains open," he said.

Mohammadi also addressed the conflict between Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia, questioning Riyadh's military capabilities.

He said the "Zionist regime" — his term for Israel — had waged war in Gaza for more than two years without dealing a serious blow to Hamas.

"So how could Saudi Arabia, whose military power is inferior to Israel's, ever defeat Ansarallah and Yemen's fighters? It is impossible," he said.

Mohammadi warned that Saudi Arabia would never be able to subdue Yemen or Ansarallah on the battlefield, nor would it be safe from their attacks. "Every country seeks to defend its existence and assets and to build its capabilities," he said, "but in this arena, Saudi Arabia will never prevail."

He said that as Saudi Arabia escalated its strikes, it was receiving retaliatory blows several times greater in return, as seen in recent days.

Mohammadi said Ansarallah's capabilities, built up over years, were continuing to grow, and that Yemen's resistance forces were steadily advancing on a path of development.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com