Iran’s new defense minister stresses ultra-hard line
Brig. Gen Amir Hatami, Iran’s newly-appointed defense minister Saturday pledged to promote his country’s missile program – particularly ballistic and seaborne missiles – and would fight the American attempts “to thwart the program and harm Iranian interests in the region.” He announced his strong support for the Qods Force (the terror and intelligence arm) of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), its commander Qasem Soleimani, and the “resistance front.”
The outgoing Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan was appointed special advisor to Khamenei on defense industries.
DEBKAfile: This change of guard indicates Tehran’s stress on further developing its missile program, in defiance of the UN Security Council ban and sanctions.