(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - "Today all enemy bases are within the reach of our missiles. There was a time when they fought against us at the country's borders, but today we can fight them several thousand kilometers away," Deputy Lieutenant Commander of the IRGC Ground Force for Operations General Morteza Miriyan told us on Saturday.

"Today our security alignment, in Lebanon for example, is more dangerous for the enemy, and thus, it is not in their interest to clash with us …," the commander added.

Earlier this month, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari had underlined his forces' ability to fully protect the country's security and interests not just in the regional waters, but thousands of miles away from the Iranian coasts.

"We don't need foreign or trans-regional forces to establish security in the region," Sayyari said, addressing a ceremony to welcome back home the 19th fleet of warships after an 82-day mission in the high seas.

If necessary, we will take action 30,000 km away to defend and safeguard our dear homeland's interests and resources as well as the honor and dignity of the sacred Islamic Republic ruling system," Sayyari stated at the time.

Elsewhere, Miriyan stressed Iran's ability to produce its needed military capabilities, and noted that Iran is fully self-sufficient in combat capability.

He expressed the hope that Iran could produce weapons in the near future which are beyond enemy imagination.

Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles and fighter planes.

Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.

/SMH