TEHRAN – Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief, Major General Hossein Salami, has signaled an imminent transformation in the nation’s defense systems by announcing a top-secret technological breakthrough soon to be demonstrated on the field.

At a ceremony honoring the late President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on Thursday, Salami offered few details, describing the advance as a watershed moment in military innovation.

"In recent weeks, we have reached an unprecedented milestone in our defense capabilities—a development I am not detailing today because its impact will soon speak for itself," he stated, underscoring that this achievement will solidify Iran’s irreversible strategic superiority.

The announcement builds on Iran’s proven track record of indigenous military innovation, particularly in air defense.

The Bavar-373 system—a flagship achievement operational since 2019 and comparable to Russia’s S-400—boasts a 300-kilometer engagement range, advanced radar immunity to jamming, and the ability to track stealth aircraft and ballistic missiles.

Its upgraded variant, Bavar-373-II, unveiled in March, now intercepts high-speed, long-range targets with enhanced precision.

Similarly, the 15 Khordad system gained global attention in 2019 by downing a U.S. RQ-4 Global Hawk drone, showcasing its capability to detect stealth aircraft at 150 kilometers and intercept cruise missiles, drones, and fighter jets within a 120-kilometer range. Recent drills confirmed its ability to simultaneously target up to six projectiles, including Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs).

Complementing these systems are newer platforms like Arman, designed for short-to-medium range defense against drones and low-altitude threats, and the 358 system, designed to counter drones, helicopters, and jets with infrared homing and autonomous navigation for precise, “fire-and-forget” strikes.

Developed under stringent sanctions, these advancements underscore Tehran’s doctrine of self-reliance as a cornerstone of national security.

‘Trump’s Riyadh remarks on Iran too far from reality’

General Salami reserved sharp criticism for U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks in Saudi Arabia, where Trump contrasted Iran’s economy with Riyadh’s agricultural projects and offered Tehran a “new path.”

Dismissing the overture as hypocritical, Salami stated, “The gap between [Trump’s] delusions and Iran’s reality is as vast as heaven and earth. You imposed sanctions on our sick, blocked medicines, and labeled us terrorists—yet here we stand, stronger than ever.”  

The commander also invoked Trump’s 2019 description of the Iranian people and rebuked it as “extremely hostile,” questioning, “How can a man who called our nation terrorists now pretend to be our friend? The Iranian people see through this hypocrisy.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Trump’s rhetoric as “rooted in arrogance and historical blindness” during a national address.

“Threats only strengthen our nation’s resolve,” Pezeshkian asserted. “The U.S. president fails to grasp the ingenuity of our youth, who turn sanctions into stepping stones for progress.”