Deployment of Air Defense Systems at Hundreds of Locations Across Iran

The commander of the "Khatam al-Anbiya" air defense, a branch of the Iranian army, announced on Friday the deployment of air defense systems at 3,700 locations across the country. According to a report on Friday, September 9, by Mehr News Agency, Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili made these remarks during a memorial ceremony for unknown victims in the city of Nowshahr. Esmaili stated that prior to the establishment of the "Khatam al-Anbiya" air defense command, air defense was only stationed at 400 points in Iran. The increase to 3,700 locations has occurred over the past three years. The "Khatam al-Anbiya" air defense command is one of the four branches of the Islamic Republic's army, established in 2008. In another part of his speech, Esmaili mentioned that "for nearly three years, a thousand aircraft cross our air borders daily, and due to air security, the airspace of the Islamic Republic is considered the safest in the Middle East." He also added that "the enemy is cunning, and our encounters with the enemy are only on the battlefield; we have no smiles for any enemy." Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, during his meeting on September 6 of this year with commanders and officials of the "Khatam al-Anbiya" air defense command, spoke about the importance of air defense as the "frontline against any kind of aggression." He described the opposing front of the Islamic Republic as a "malicious and deceitful" front and added, "The readiness of the armed forces must be increased to the extent that the enemy does not even allow itself to think about aggression." The Supreme Leader also called for "timely action and the use of diverse methods and advanced tools in air defense," adding that "the enemy must understand that if it attacks, it will receive a strong blow, and our defense will also include retaliation." Two days after Khamenei's remarks, Iranian state television showed images reportedly of a "complete S-300 air defense system" made by Russia around the "Fordow nuclear facility," which "entered Iran despite all efforts to prevent its entry." The S-300 air defense system, which Iran purchased from Russia years ago, was delayed in delivery due to extensive international sanctions. Following the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the cancellation of a previous directive halting the delivery of the system.