In the interview Shamkhani referred to Iran’s defense policies and explained the course of strengthening the country’s missile and armament capabilities.
Admiral Ali Shamkhani, political adviser to the Supreme Leader and former secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, appeared on the internet program “The Story of War” and described different aspects of the country’s most important security and military matters, particularly during the 12-day war. In this conversation Shamkhani referred to Iran’s defense policies, explained the path of bolstering the country’s missile and armament capabilities, and offered his analysis of the 12-day battlefield and Iran’s position in the face of what he called the terrorist aggression by the United States and Israel. The interview also set out some truths about certain political disputes of recent years.
On the Ukrainian airliner incident: “The president was informed”
In conversation with Javad Mogui on “The Story of War” about the Ukrainian airliner, Ali Shamkhani said: after the Ukrainian airliner incident, Sardar Baqeri contacted me and I was informed, and at that time I informed the president. I did not have an obligation to inform Zarif as well. Some people said that the Ukrainian airliner incident was caused by U.S. electronic warfare and that, because we carried out a careful investigation, we announced the news with a three-day delay. I went to Behesht-e Zahra for the burial ceremony of the couple who were on the Ukrainian plane; their family treated me poorly there, but I was not upset.
Answering whether Martyr Raeisi was assassinated by Israel is difficult
In the same program, Ali Shamkhani spoke about the assassination of Ayatollah Raeisi: the General Staff, up to the last moment and based on the delegations it sent to investigate, said that nothing happened inside the flight. After the 12-day war this question became stronger — that the assassination of Martyr Raeisi could also be linked to Israel. Based on the technical capacities of the investigators, no external event was detected in Martyr Raeisi’s assassination, but it is possible that events occurred that are beyond our technical detection.
“The will and decision to strike a U.S. base is a major credibility”
On targeting a U.S. base, Shamkhani said: we decided to strike Ain al-Assad and we struck it — and that means we had the will to confront. The attack on Ain al-Assad was our immediate form of revenge for Haj Qasem, and that was justifiable; we never abandoned that stance.
Islamic Republic had no experience of direct war with Israel
On the 12-day war with Israel, Shamkhani said: we had a tanker war with Israel in which, at that time, they were striking our ships, and when we gained the upper hand they did not repeat it. Before October 7 we once defeated Israel at sea. Given the change in the balance of power, the promised capabilities of Operation True Promise 1 and 2 did not quickly achieve the results and the level of capability desired by military commanders, even though Israel’s air defenses had changed. The probability of our missiles hitting their targets had also changed considerably compared with before — it had become much stronger.
“Because we are under sanctions, no country in the world engages in serious arms cooperation with us”
On why Russia did not help Iran in the 12-day war, Ali Shamkhani said: from day one we adopted the right policy on missiles and domesticated (manufactured) them; the same applies to drones and naval (capabilities), although we started late on air defense — God willing that will be corrected as well. It is a reality that we are alone. The Russians themselves are engaged in a war and therefore could not stand alongside us. At one point the Russians proposed that we cooperate on air defense, but we raised questions that we could not accept easily.
Under what circumstances would we close the Strait of Hormuz?
In response to remarks about why Iran does not close the Strait of Hormuz, Shamkhani said: when the U.S. attacked Fordow, the war ended, because Israel had been defeated. In the naval war we possess capabilities that are still unknown to the enemy. To close the Strait of Hormuz we would have to pull out all the stops — we have not reached that stage yet.
NOURNEWS