SAEDNEWS: Iranian lawmaker Esmail Kowsari emphasized the need for locally produced long-range air defense systems and called on parliament to increase defense R&D funding in light of evolving aerial threats.
Esmail Kowsari, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, commented on the current status of the country’s defense budget increase.
He stated:
“We are well aware that our air defense capabilities have significantly advanced compared to the period of the eight-year imposed war [Iran–Iraq War]. Just as we have achieved self-sufficiency in ground-to-ground ballistic missiles, we must also become self-reliant in air defense.”
Kowsari emphasized that:
“We must be capable of designing and producing radar systems and long-range air defense missiles that can detect and repel enemy aerial attacks in a timely manner.”
According to Defa Press, he further noted:
“There is an important point here — due to the presence of aircraft flying at high altitudes, we need long-range radar and missile systems that are domestically produced. This would ensure we can upgrade them whenever necessary.”
He concluded by stressing the role of the parliament:
“One of the key ways parliament can support this goal is by increasing the research and development budget allocated to the armed forces.”
