Gen. Mousavi: Iran Air Defense Will Make Enemies Regret their Miscalculations

Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of the General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, visited the national air defense headquarters on Friday, where he honored the “martyrs, wounded, and war veterans” of the recent aggression and expressed gratitude to all air defense personnel for their service.

“Air defense, standing on the front line of our sky’s protection, has proven its ability to withstand all levels of threats and to make the enemies of the Iranian nation regret their miscalculations,” he said on the sidelines of the visit.

His remarks come in the aftermath of a blatant and unprovoked Israeli aggression that began on June 13, targeting senior Iranian military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians. The US later came to help Israel in the illegal aggression by striking three Iranian peaceful nuclear facilities.

Iran responded by targeting key locations across the occupied Palestinian territories and launching attacks on the US al-Udeid air base in Qatar—Washington’s largest military installation in West Asia. Iran's retaliatory campaign compelled the Israeli regime to announce a unilateral ceasefire on June 24.

Mousavi added that the downing of a large number of enemy aircraft demonstrated not only Iran’s operational strength but also the determination and courage of its air defense forces.

“The sheer number of hostile aerial targets shot down demonstrates the capability, willpower, and bravery of our air defense warriors. This will be remembered in the collective memory of the Iranian people,” he said.

The top commander attributed this resilience to a combination of factors. “This capability, determination, resistance, and courage stem from unwavering faith, national pride, the wise and unmatched leadership of the Islamic Revolution Leader, and the unity and unwavering support of the Iranian people.”

“If the enemy ever dares to attack our beloved country again, with God’s help, it will be met with even harsher blows and suffer a greater defeat than before,” he stressed.

He also pointed to the need to keep pace with evolving threats, calling for continuous updates and modernization of defense systems, along with innovation, agility, and reliance on domestic scientific and technological capacity.