Iran Military Sweep 2007-2008 Iran holds f-14 tracker aircraft exercises

After an aide to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Iran would "set fire" to Israel and US ships in the Gulf if attacked, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned that the United States would defend itself.
"We will defend American interests and the interests of our allies. We take very strongly our obligation to defend our allies and we intend to do that," she told reporters in Tbilisi.
The White House avoided confirming that Iran staged a second series of missile tests today.
"I don't have our own US government verification that there were any additional tests, but they did test the day before," said Tony Fratto, a White House spokesman.
A senior US defence official said Iran appears to have fired only a single missile today, not a second round of missiles as suggested by Iranian media reports.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official told AFP the United States had detected the launch of seven missiles on Wednesday, including a Shahab-3.
"There appears to have been one missile fired today, but that may well have been one that failed the day before, and they finally got operational and launched today," the official said.
There has been concern an attack against Iran could be imminent after it emerged that Israel had staged manoeuvres in Greece that were effectively dry runs for a potential strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.
The latest war games come amid increased diplomatic efforts to end the five-year standoff over the Iranian nuclear drive.
Tehran's response to a deal by world powers, in which it would be offered technological and economic incentives if it suspended uranium enrichment, is currently being analysed by diplomats.
Meanwhile the chief of French energy giant Total said it was too politically risky to invest in Iran at present, as Western governments lean on firms to cut ties with the Islamic republic.
Christophe de Margerie's remarks to the Financial Times appear to spell the end of Total's involvement in a deal to exploit Phase 11 of Iran's giant South Pars gas field to produce liquefied natural gas for export and to build a liquefaction plant.
In response Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said: "We have announced that whoever is interested, they are welcome to come forward. If they are not interested, we do not insist either."
Iran Navy, Army commanders on forces' readiness, technology, history of Iraq war
Text of report headlined "Army's naval force commander: We always feel our enemy is supra-regional" published by Iranian newspaper Aftab-e Yazd website on 29 September
The commander of the naval forces of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran has spoken of war games to be held soon and of the acquisition of new equipment. Habibollah Sayyari told Iranian Students News Agency [ISNA], the army's naval forces' role in the imposed war [of 1980-88] had been relatively neglected and "the problem here is firstly to do with the provision of information by that force and then the media. Another reason why this was not given attention was the ignorance of the work done in the sea, for which reason this part of the war has remained unknown." The army's navy chief referred to the characteristics of naval battles and said, "the greater part of the work of naval forces is to do with equipment. We have to safeguard the body of our equipment because essentially without equipment we cannot go to sea." Sayyari said equipment had to be complete in naval battles and this equipment had to evolve in time and remain updated. He said, "in land battles you can merge with the terrain but in the sea we are out in the open and must have technology and equipment. If the enemy uses better and more modern technology, he will win." Sayyari referred to sea battles in modern warfare and said "today all threats across the world are sea-based, that is world arrogance, to safeguard its illegitimate interests everywhere, is present everywhere with a variety of aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines and the like." Sayyari commented on the navy's capabilities in modern technology and equipment that "experience has shown we have to be self-dependent regarding the construction and production of equipment we need. However, much we are attached to others, they will not help at times of crisis, so the wise move is for us to make our equipment. We do not rely on anyone to build our equipments in the sea." He commented on the army's naval force's missile system that "presently we have a missile system. We use several sorts of missiles in wars, which are either air-to-surface or coast-to-air or surface-to-surface. Today the Islamic Republic of Iran's missile capacity has reached the state where it even has missiles with a 300-km range, which is now a part of our missile fleet." He commented on Iran's four strategic water points, the Caspian Sea, the Oman Sea, the Hormuz Strait and the Persian Gulf, and said "each of these points have special conditions. The Caspian Sea is a closed sea in the north of the country and like others, we consider it the sea of peace and friendship. The Persian Gulf is a half-closed sea we control and we have the ability to defend the region." Sayyari said "the strategic region of the Hormuz Strait is entirely under our control. This is an objective fact and entirely evident and could not be denied. The Oman Sea is our open sea, and on this basis we are entirely dominant and in control in our mission. To have devised particular measures to defend each of these points and reason requires separate tactics for the defense of each area." The commander commented on talk of handing the Persian Gulf's security to the Sepah [the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps] and the Oman Sea and Caspian's security to the army that "in the country we have both the army and the Sepah and sometimes divide duties. The same goes with the sea, but these do not mean separating the naval forces of the army and Sepah."

Changes in Sepah mainly to strengthen Basij:

The supreme armed forces commander's senior military affairs adviser commented on changes in the Sepah that these consisted mainly of moves to strengthen the Basij militia and resistance force as the "main body of the Sepah," Fars reported. Yahya Rahim-Safavi told a gathering of officers of the Sepah-e Ashura [Ashura army] that the formation of Revolution Guards Corps units in the provinces would constitute "an essential stop in improving the Sepah's missions to safeguard the achievements of the revolution." He referred to the "sinister intentions of global arrogance in the region" and said "America is the enemy of Islam and The Koran. America is always thinking of striking at Muslims in the world and after its presence in Iraq and Afghanistan it now has extensive cultural programmes to damage public opinion and the religious beliefs of the people of these countries."

Realities of Holy Defence must be examined in their conditions:

The commander of the army land forces said the war [with Iraq] began "when many land forces units were fighting counter-revolutionaries and conditions were difficult for the army and especially its land force," Fars reported. Hasan Purdastan was attending ceremonies to praise leading veterans of the holy war and martyrdom of the land forces of the army of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Purdastan told the gathering an analysis of the events of the holy defence would "take on the colour of reality when examined in their own conditions. When Iraq's Ba'thist regime attacked our country's western and southwestern frontiers fully equipped, our armed forces were not prepared to resist and defend and this does not mean absence. At the time there were murmurs of opposition to the army in certain quarters and the deplorable presence of Banisadr as the president and armed forces commander was an added factor." Purdastan qualified that as a difficult time, which the army "overcame blamelessly and forcefully."

Voice and Vision has been unfair to army:

The deputy-head of the armed forces headquarters for coordination said "Voice and Vision has not been fair to the army and land forces, though I believe we too have a share of the blame for not presenting our performance during the war," Fars reported. Hoseyn Hasani-Sa'di said the land forces were "on the battle front fighting bandits and counter-revolutionaries from the first day since victory of the Revolution to 31 Shahrivar 59 [September 1980, when Iraq invaded Iran]. With the start of the war, the land forces proceeded to defend the Islamic country with all their might and resources and this defence happened when two thirds of our forces were engaged in Kordestan." Sa'di said certain "impertinent" criticisms of the army land forces were "unfair to this force." The former army land forces commander said "we did not really take a picture of army forces' performance during the war and even after important meetings people's notes were ripped up and destroyed. We did not think we would end the war alive let alone want to write down memories of those years three decades later." Sa'di stressed the need to register and record the memories of the veterans of the holy defence and said "it is not too late and we have to write the history of the war and especially the history of the army land force's war."

Source: Aftab-e Yazd website, Tehran, in Persian 29 Sep 08

Former Iran Guard Corps commander on expansion of fighting capabilities
Text of report citing Fars News Agency headlined "No vessel out of Iran's range" published by Iranian newspaper Javan on 18 September
The supreme advisor of the esteemed leader of the revolution [Ayatollah Ali Khamene'i] on the armed forces issues stressed: "At the time of a war no vessel will be able to pass through the Persian Gulf and not be within the range of the surface-to-sea missiles of the naval forces of the Guards Corps."
The former Revolution Guards Corps Commander Major General Rahim Safavi made the above statement in an interview with Fars News Agency on the occasion of 26th Shahrivar [16th September 2008], the anniversary of the historic decree by His Eminence Imam [Ruhollah] Khomeyni (may he rest in peace) in the year 64 [the year that started on 21st March 1985] regarding the formation of the three forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.
He added: "After the Kheybar operations (in the year 62) and Badr operations (in the year 63) and the progress that Iran had made in her operations, as well as the expansion of our operations that put a great deal of pressure on the Ba'thist regime of Iraq and its supporters, namely America, the Soviet Union and some Arab and European countries, it was felt that there was a need for expanding the operations of the Guards Corps in order to achieve greater victories and goals. That necessitated the expansion of the fighting capabilities of the Guards Corps."
The former Revolution Guards Commander continued: "The Imam (may he rest in peace) with his pious and brilliant heart that in truth always turned to the light of God, and in view of his profound wisdom and farsightedness always saw way ahead of his own time. One can see one example of his farsightedness in the letter that he wrote to [Mikhail] Gorbachev. In order to form the three forces [of the Guards Corps] the Imam relied upon the constitution. As a result, he invited the foqaha [the jurists] of the Guardian Council and told them: "I wish to issue a decree for the formation of the three forces of the Guards Corps. Is this decree contrary to the principle 150 of the constitution and the spirit of the law or not? All the foqaha of the Guardian Council confirmed that the decree was in keeping with the constitution. Then the Imam (may he rest in peace) issued the decree for the formation of the ground, air and naval forces of the Guards Corps on 26th Shahrivar 64 [16th September 1985]."
Safavi added: "One of the blessings of that decree was the increase in the power of the Guards Corps, and it raised the level of the self confidence of the Guards Corps. We also managed to get access to some equipment such as tanks, artillery and missiles."
He continued: "As the result of that decree we also were able to buy missile-launching frigates. Now we have equipped the more advanced generations of those vessels with naval missiles with a range of 130 kilometres."
The supreme advisor of the esteemed leader of the revolution on the armed forces issues said: "One of the consequences of that decree was that we managed to gain access to the industry for the manufacturing of missiles with a range of above 300 kilometres at the time of [Mohsen] Rafiqdust, who was the commander of the Guards Corps at that time. I should also stress that achieving missiles with 2,000 kilometres range that we possess today was also the consequence of that decree by the Imam (may he rest in peace)."
Safavi added: "At the moment, the fighter planes of the Air Force of the Guards Corps, such as Sukhoi [fighter planes] or the helicopter fleet, such as MI14, 214 or Cobra, or the advances made by the Guards Corps in the naval dimension, such as naval vessels, or the manufacturing of the most advanced shore-to-sea missiles with a range of more than 300 kilometres are all the consequences of that important decree by His Eminence the Imam (may he rest in peace)."

Source: Javan, Tehran, in Persian 18 Sep 08

Iran builds radar evading drone with speed of 700 km per hour

Text of report by Iranian Fars News Agency website
Tehran, 22 September: Iran's defence industry has succeeded in building a type of drone which travels at 700 km per hour.
According to the Fars News Agency, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, deputy head of planning, support and research HQ of the armed forces told a press conference on Saturday [22 September]: Iran has made significant achievements in aerospace. He added: In the unmanned class of planes known as "Pahpad", we have built the Shahed-Jet Pahpad [Shahed-jet drone] which is capable of travelling at 700 km per hour.
Maj-Gen Safavi, former commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, had previously announced that Iran has built a drone capable of travelling at 700 km per hour for carrying out reconnaissance operations, gathering information and sending back pictures. This plane can identify the enemy's base, position and warships in the surrounding regions and the information is then used for planning purposes.
He added: This plane is made of a special material and designed in a way that can not be detected by radar nor can it be targeted easily.
Safavi had also announced: This drone has passed the experimental stage and is now being mass produced. We can now use this drone in operations.

Source: Fars News Agency website, Tehran, in Persian 1055 gmt 22 Sep 07

Any US action will be repulsed by 20-million Basijis - Iran ex-Guards commander
Text of report in English by Iranian news agency IRNA website
Tehran, 18 September: The enemy will be hit back in shortest possible time in case of any military attack, adviser to supreme leader of the Islamic Revolution Maj-Gen Yahya Rahim-Safavi said on Tuesday [18 September].
"The enemy will face strong armed forces especially the Basij (volunteer forces) if it unleashed a military attack on Iran," he said.
He said that the US has been entangled in quagmire in Iraq and cannot easily survive.
A special ceremony was held to appreciate Maj-Gen Rahim-Safavi's 10-year service as commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
He said that any US action will be repulsed by 20-million Basij members organized by the IRGC.
The IRGC served as command council of the Basij during eight-year US-backed imposed war on Iran (1980-88).

Source: IRNA website, Tehran, in English 1434 gmt 18 Sep 07

Analysis: Iran military promotions signal creation of "rapid deployment force"

By Saeed Barzin of BBC Monitoring on 6 September
Reports about recent changes among top cadres of Iran's Islamic Republic Guards Corps, IRGC, suggest that the force is to be restructured in order to meet possible US military threats.
The reports also suggest that the appointment of Mohammad Ali Ja'fari as IRGC chief is the result of the long-term military thinking in Tehran.
Ja'fari has spent two years at the IRGC Strategy Centre assessing the Corps' strategic status. He has taken the place of Yahya Rahim Safavi who is now the "military assistant" to the supreme leader.
The restructuring is aimed at transforming the IRGC into a rapid deployment force, with lighter combat units and younger officers, according to media reports.
The changes are being introduced after studies of recent military conflicts in the region, particularly the Iraq and the Afghan theatres as well as the 33-day war in southern Lebanon.
Media reports say the US, not neighbouring countries, is the main military threat to Iran.

Restructuring

The main objective of the recent changes among the IRGC commanders is to restructure the military organization, according to several reports.
"The correct interpretation of the [recent] transfers among the commanders," daily Tehran-e Emruz said, "is of a change in Iran's defence structure".
The policy "will bring a new structure to Iran's national defence system", the conservative newspaper said in an editorial. (4 Sep)
The paper stressed that Ja'fari had spent two years studying the IRGC structure and its mission.
Tehran-e Emruz also referred to changes in structural relations between the IRGC and the regular armed forces, and spoke about Safavi's appointment to the post of assistant in military affairs to the leader.
"The new post of the assistant to the commander-in-chief can be interpreted as a restructuring drive," the paper said.
"This will bring greater coordination between the classic and asymmetrical" defence strategies pursued, respectively, by the regular armed forces and the IRGC, it added.

Young, rapid, modern, lightThe structural changes are designed to turn the IRGC into a rapid deployment force, which is also younger and "lighter".

"This is the message for the enemy: In its calculations it should now consider the IRGC as a defensive rapid deployment force," Tehran-e Emruz said.
According to Farda, a conservative news agency, "steps will be taken to make the IRGC combat and operational units lighter".
The armed forces will now be modernizing, and deploying younger commanders, the site said. (3 Sep)

The approach

Several elements stand out from Ja'fari's remarks after his recent appointment: Boost for asymmetrical warfare tactics, reliance on missile capabilities, comprehensive intelligence activity and pursuit of IRGC's "popular" activities.
On the need to enhance asymmetrical warfare capabilities, Ja'fari said: "The enemy has superior material and technological capabilities, and therefore we should choose appropriate measures and policies" to counter it. (Fars, 3 Sep)
Ja'fari's biography shows he has an interest in asymmetrical warfare.
"He was one of the war commanders who used guerrilla tactics and surprise attacks to win many victories [in the 1980-88 war]. He was a founder of this school of warfare," the Farda news outlet said. (3 Sept)
"During his command of the IRGC ground forces, he demanded preparedness for asymmetrical warfare," the site reported.
Among the IRGC officers, asymmetrical warfare is named after the first Shi'i saint Imam Ali, and is known as "Alavi".
Ja'fari has also been vocal on the need for missile deployment - which was "effectively" used by the pro-Iranian Hezbollah in southern Lebanon - and the need for comprehensive intelligence operations.
Ja'fari has said: "intelligence overview of enemy movements and strategic missile capability are the two important characteristics that the IRGC should work on." (Fars, 3 Sep)
Ja'fari added that the "IRGC has full intelligence overview of enemy activity in the region and we are watching their slightest movement". (Mehr, 3 Sep)
Regarding the importance of the "popular" Basij paramilitary force, Rajanews.com said it is now "possible that the Basij will operate under the command of the IRGC ground forces".
He was quoted as saying that "the links with popular institutions such as the Basij make the IRGC distinct from any other military establishment". (Mehr)

Main threat and deterrence

Statements by Ja'fari and Safavi after the recent appointments suggest that, so far as the Iranian military is concerned, the main threat to Iran's security is the US military presence in the region, and not the neighbouring countries.
In his first press conference, Ja'fari said: "The nature of enemy threats has changed our primary objective is to deter the enemy from taking action against our country." (Mehr, 3 Sep)
Safavi spelt out his view of the US strategic position in greater detail and stressed its vulnerabilities.
He said the US had three problems in attacking Iran: Washington does not know how and how far Iran will respond; nor what will happen to Israel; nor what will happen to the oil. (Fars)

Strategic study of region

Reports about the new military appointments point out that Ja'fari is coming to his new post after having concentrated on studying the strategic dynamics of the region for the past two years.
"Ja'fari has a more academic approach than his comrades and this could have been the reason for his appointment," Farda said.
Ja'fari closely studied the US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in 2006.
"One of Ja'fari's aims was to evaluate the strength and weaknesses of the US campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan," Farda added.
Speaking about his own activities, Ja'fari said: "The IRGC has learnt from the valuable experiences of the Sacred Defence [1980-88 war with Iraq] and the recent military conflicts in the region." (Fars, 3 Sep)
"His study of the US campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan will definitely help our country's military in case of a US attack," Farda commented.
According to Farda, "Ja'fari has formulated solutions and will now implement them."
Commenting on the lessons of the conflict in Lebanon, Ja'fari said: "We should defeat the enemy as was the case in the 33-day war". (Fars, 3 Sep)
Rahim Safavi was in general agreement.
"The Zionists' humiliating defeat by the Hezbollah, and the victory of Hamas in Palestine and Islamists in Turkey" are the most important events of the past years, he said. (Fars, 4 Sep)

Congratulations all around

There seems to have been general approval among the senior rank and file of the Guards Corps over the appointments.
The commander of the Quds Force, Brig Qasem Soleymani, "thanked the leader for appointing commanders who are reminders of the Sacred Defence, and who have the scent of Jihad and martyrdom." (Baztab)
Ali Sa'idi, the representative of the supreme leader in the IRGC, sent messages to Safavi and Ja'fari congratulating them on their appointments. (Fars, 2 Sept)
No high-profile changes have been announced in the armed forces since Ja'fari's appointment.
But only 10 days earlier Rear-Adm Sajjad Kuchaki, the commander of the regular navy lost his place to Rear-Adm Habibollah Sayyari. (IRNA, 20 Aug) The media coverage of the affair was low profile.

Photos
For photos of the Ja'fari inauguration ceremony attended by senior military commanders, former commanders and representatives of the supreme leader see:

mehrnews.com/fa/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=546137
mehrnews.com/fa/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=546126
mehrnews.com/fa/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=546115

Source: BBC Monitoring research 6 Sep 07

Guards commander boasts Iran's military capability

Text of report in English by Iranian TV news channel on 16 August
The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps [IRGC] says the force has turned into a big defence power in the Middle East.