TEHRAN – Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, the armed forces chief of staff, said on Sunday that Iran will see remarkable progress in air defense system.

“Due to increased cooperation that the General Staff (of the Armed Forces), Army, Guards, and Law Enforcement Forces have with the Ministry of Defense we will witness an incredible progress in air defense system,” Baqeri said in ceremony to welcome new Defense Minister Mohammadreza Ashtiani.

This will take place by also tapping the potential of knowledge-based companies, universities, and highly talented youth in the country.

The armed forces chief of staff went on to say that the Ministry of Defense has been on the road to progress over the years.

Major General Baqeri says boosting defense power is a must “In the past four years, Brigadier General Amir Hatami made great and effective efforts, and considerable progresses were made in the country’s defense capability,” Baqeri stated.

Hatami was defense minister during the second four-year presidency of Hassan Rouhani.

Baqeri added in the new leadership of Brigadier General Ashtiani at the Defense Ministry this policy will “definitely continue successfully.”

He said Ashtiani has splendid record in different military posts.

Major General Baqeri went on to say that a constant increase in defense capabilities is a must, noting it is impossible to keep security without development and capable defense power.

To boost defense power is an “unavoidable duty” in view of the situation in the West Asia region, Baqeri pointed out.

He said the Defense Ministry has a primary responsibility to enhance defense power and maintaining military readiness.

The top general also praised the Armed Forces’ remarkable achievements despite all difficulties.

The performance of the Armed Forces in view low military budget in comparison to other countries is incomparable in quality, he pointed out.

According to Tasnim, Baqeri also said while Russians refused to provide Iran even with the shape of their Iskander missile, which is a ballistic missile with a range of 300 km, Iranian experts managed to gain the technical know-how to manufacture homegrown ballistic missiles with pinpoint accuracy.

“U.S. leaving Afghanistan in dire situation”

He also pointed to the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and its ultimate withdrawal from that country after a humiliating defeat after 20 years, saying the Americans have pulled out as the oppressed people of Afghanistan have been left in a dire situation without a bright prospect.

“The United States occupied Afghanistan with a lot of killings, lootings, and many other crimes, but left the country with a humiliating defeat. It left the oppressed people of this country in the throes of problems, troubles and turmoils without a clear future,” he said, according to Press TV.

“Despite spending $2 trillion (in Afghanistan), the U.S. turned the Afghan National Army into a useless army that could resist against that attacking group (Taliban) for only 11 days,” the top commander explained.

He added, “The United States has not left the region in all these 42 years, and as time passes, it concocts more conspiracies and threats against the region.”

In remarks on Saturday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei denounced the U.S. as the source of all the crises in Afghanistan, saying, “The U.S. committed all sorts of atrocities during their 20-year occupation of that country. These ranged from bombing wedding and mourning ceremonies to imprisoning individuals, and included increasing the production of addictive drugs by tens of times. They did not take a single step for the development of Afghanistan.”

Explaining the position of Iran on Afghanistan, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “We support the Afghan nation. Governments come and go. It is the Afghan nation that will remain. The nature of our relations with other governments depends on the nature of their relations with us. May God bring the best situation for the nation of Afghanistan.”