Aziz Nasirzadeh, the defense minister of Iran’s regime, stated that if pushed into war, the regime will not hesitate to use weapons that have not been used before. He also warned that in the event of an attack on Iran; US bases located in neighboring countries will be considered targets.
The defense minister made these comments just a few hours after a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis struck Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.
Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of Defense, had warned Iran’s regime on April 30 that even if US negotiations with the regime advance, continued Iranian support for the Houthis will still carry consequences.
In response to the remarks by the US Secretary of Defense, Nasirzadeh said: “Unfortunately, we are witnessing that American officials, on the one hand, claim to be sincere and express a desire to negotiate, while on the other hand, some American officials continuously and through various means threaten Iran with military attacks.”
The Iranian regime’s defense minister threatened that if a war is initiated by the US or Israel, Iran will target their interests, bases, and forces wherever they may be and whenever it deems necessary. He added that the Ministry of Defense is working to fully equip the armed forces on land, in the air, and at sea.
Nasirzadeh, while stressing brotherhood with neighboring countries, also issued a threat to them, stating: “We have no hostility toward neighboring countries and brotherhood governs our relations. However, in the event of an attack on Iran, US bases located in those regional countries will be considered our targets.”
Unveiling of Iran’s new ballistic missile
Nasirzadeh made these statements on the sidelines of the unveiling and test of Iran’s latest ballistic missile, named Qassem.
Tasnim, a media outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that the missile is a solid-fuel type with a range of 1,200 kilometers, and is an upgraded version of the “Martyr Haj Qassem ballistic missiles.”
Tasnim added: “This missile, with changes made to the design of its warhead, is capable of maneuvering and bypassing missile defense systems. It is also equipped with a thermal imaging guidance system to strike targets with greater accuracy and to resist electronic warfare.”
