The Iranian defense minister says his ministry’s exports of military defense products tripled in the past Persian calendar year (ending on March 20).
Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said on Saturday that the ministry under his watch is seeking to upgrade Iran’s military capabilities by boosting the production of military and civilian goods and services, enhancing missile, drone, air defense and electronic warfare power, and pursuing defense diplomacy with an emphasis on export capacity building.
“Due to the efforts of the Defense Ministry, we registered a threefold increase in exports, a twofold rise in the production of civilian goods and services, and an 81 percent increase in military production last year,” he told a gathering of senior managers at the Defense Ministry.
“This path will continue with more strength and endeavor this [Persian calendar] year which is named ‘Inflation Control; Growth in Production.’”
Ashtiani also emphasized that the Defense Ministry stands ready to maintain the Islamic Republic’s military, scientific and technological authority in the most difficult and complicated conditions imposed by the enemy.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made substantial headway in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sector.
Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities which are entirely meant for defense.