Iran's military on Thursday dismissed U.S. claims that its capabilities have been significantly weakened, vowing to fight until "the enemy regrets completely and surrenders."
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said in a statement that the United States and Israel do not have a comprehensive understanding of Iran's military forces and equipment, and are completely unaware of its enormous and strategically significant capabilities.
"Do not think that you have destroyed our strategic missile production centers, our long-range offensive and precision-guided drones, modern air defense and electronic warfare systems, or our special equipment -- such an idea will only make you deeper into the mire," he said.
Zolfaghari emphasized that Iran's enemy would face "more devastating, widespread, and destructive operations."
Also on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that the entire nation is united in resisting this "unjust and aggressive war."
He said that Iran will continue to fight back for as long as U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran's people and cities continue.
The Iranian side's responses came after U.S. President Trump delivered a national address on Wednesday, in which he unilaterally declared a "swift, decisive, and overwhelming victory" in the conflict with Iran.
He also claimed that Iran's capacity to launch missiles and drones had been "dramatically curtailed," with few of its weapons factories and rocket launchers left.
Iran denies capabilities have been weakened, vows to fight until enemy "regrets completely, surrenders"
Iran denies capabilities have been weakened, vows to fight until enemy "regrets completely, surrenders"
Iran denies capabilities have been weakened, vows to fight until enemy "regrets completely, surrenders"
Iran's Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simaei-Sarraf on Saturday condemned the United States and Israel for attacking Iranian academic institutions and research facilities, saying that more than 30 universities across the country have been directly targeted since the war started in late February.
The official made the condemnation when speaking to reporters at the site of the damaged Shahid Beheshti University in the Iranian capital Tehran.
Simaei-Sarraf said five university professors and more than 60 students had been killed in the strikes so far, describing attacks on Iranian infrastructure as "crimes against humanity."
Those killed include Saeed Shamghadri, an associate professor at the Iran University of Science and Technology. "Since the war started, five university professors, including Professor Shamghadri, and more than 60 university students have been killed. As I mentioned before, more than 30 universities in Iran have been attacked. It is unbelievable that in an era when democratic values, rights, international law, and human rights are being promoted, the most obvious of these rights are being trampled, violated, and attacked," said Simaei-Sarraf.
An U.S.-Israeli air raid hit the laser and plasma research center of the Shahid Beheshti University on Friday, destroying the interior of the entire building and shattering all the windows. The force of the strike also shattered almost all the windows on another building about 100 meters away from the explosion site.
A researcher at the university said it is incomprehensible that such a facility could become a target of attacks.
"You can see that there's neither any military personnel or military activity here. This is a place where only research was being conducted. Why did it become a target of attacks? What was the motive for this crime?" Azimi, the researcher, said in an interview with China Media Group.
Since the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran started, the Iranian government has repeatedly denounced the two countries for targeting the country's academic institutions and research facilities, calling such attacks serious war crimes.
Iranian official condemns U.S.-Israeli strikes on universities
