Tehran: Iran's Defense Ministry spokesperson has announced that the country's armed forces maintained control over the skies of Israeli-held territories until the ceasefire, emphasizing that a significant portion of Iran's missile capabilities remains unused. Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik, in a televised interview, outlined the developments of the third imposed war by the United States and Israel, which commenced on February 28 and was halted by a ceasefire 40 days later.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the conflict resulted in seven significant achievements for Iran, along with three additional objectives that are partially fulfilled. Talaei-Nik described the first achievement as a military victory, asserting that the enemy's objective to dismantle Iran's missile and defense capabilities was unsuccessful. Iranian forces retained aerial dominance over Israeli-held territories, with much of the missile capacity remaining intact. Despite initial weaknesses in air defense, Iran intensified pressure on enemy defenses, targeting all US bases in the region with missiles and drones, demonstrating the strengthening of Iran's offensive capabilities.
The second achievement was political resilience, highlighted by the Islamic Republic's emergence as more robust despite the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and several commanders on the first day of the war. The third achievement involved thwarting attempts to fragment Iran, with US-backed separatist groups being countered effectively by Iran's intelligence and security measures.
Talaei-Nik cited mass public mobilization as the fourth achievement, describing it as a 'social miracle.' The fifth achievement was the stabilization of internal security, neutralizing attempts to incite unrest within Iran. The sixth achievement was a geopolitical gain, with Iran maintaining firm control over the Strait of Hormuz, using it as leverage to force enemy retreats in the Sea of Oman. Finally, the seventh achievement was international alignment, with failed efforts to build an anti-Iran coalition and growing anti-US and anti-Israel sentiment globally.
The spokesperson also outlined three ongoing objectives: securing compensation for damages, pursuing accountability for those killed during the conflict, and strengthening deterrence to prevent future threats.
Talaei-Nik emphasized Iran's domestic defense capabilities, noting the production of over 1,000 types of weapons, including missiles, drones, and various defense systems locally. This capacity is the culmination of more than 25 years of investment, with production and logistical support continuing even if some facilities are damaged.