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Even as Iran's Foreign Minister Syed Aragchi arrived in Islamabad for bilateral talks and a possible meeting with US Negotaitors Steve Wirkoff and Jared Kushner, Iran's military sent out a tough message of its capabilities. Ministry of Defence spokesperson, Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik to Iranian state media that a significant portion of Iran's "missile capability has not been used" during recent hostilities and highlighted that strategic restraint had been maintained by the country's military forces.
The spokesperson further asserted that the "Armed Forces had full control over the skies of the occupied territories" up until the period immediately preceding the implementation of the ceasefire. As detailed by Press TV, the Brigadier General's comments suggest that the nation has retained a substantial amount of its advanced weaponry in reserve. He praised the fact that the weapons manufactured nationwide benefit from a "thoroughly indigenous production line", ensuring self-sufficiency. Discussing the resilience of the military infrastructure, Talaei-Nik stated, "This capacity is the result of more than 25 years of investment and preparation in the defence industry, to the extent that even if some facilities are damaged, the process of production and support continues across the country's geographical expanse." He further revealed to Press TV that, "In this process, around 9,000 companies are cooperating with the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence." The spokesperson also addressed the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which was implemented in response to an ongoing American blockade. He asserted that the waterway "has become a lever of control for realising the demands of the Iranian nation." Press TV highlighted his claim that the military has successfully forced "enemy forces retreat in the Gulf of Oman" through "smart and thorough control" of the maritime chokepoint. Talaei-Nik also touched upon domestic solidarity, describing recent massive pro-establishment rallies as a "social miracle." He claimed that over 30 million individuals have signed up for a national campaign to show they are "ready to stand strongly in defence of the nation", an act of mass mobilisation that he believes has defeated efforts to create internal division. The message from the Iranian Army comes even as a new assessment by the US-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), has revealed that Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi and his "inner circle" have "repeatedly blocked attempts" by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and other "pragmatist" officials to push the Iranian regime toward a "more flexible negotiating position." (ANI)
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