Iran’s Islamic Guards: Iran has underground 'missile cities'
Iran stores its missiles and other attack systems in underground tunnels, said Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Aerospace Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), in a statement on October 1, as cited by the Tasnim news agency.
“We have underground tunnels around the country and under mountains for storing munitions, missiles, equipment and for protecting military personnel,” the commander said.
He claimed that the idea to build “underground missile cities” was developed by Iran’s military and political leaders as early as 1984, when the first tunnel was dug. Since then, construction of underground infrastructure for defense purposes has been going on “around the clock”, the brigadier general noted.
Hajizadeh added that the primary purpose of the tunnels is to store carrier missiles underground, protecting Iran’s military potential against its enemies.
“Today, we are the number one missile power in the [Middle East] region and we are among the 7 to 8 top missile powers in the world,” he concluded.
The Iranian government has repeatedly advertised that it has an extensive tunnel network which contains the Islamic republic’s primary military deterrent – its missile potential. Footage of the tunnels was broadcast on state TV in May this year.
On September 14, a drone attack caused significant damage to an oil refinery and oil field in Saudi Arabia, significantly reducing the country’s oil export volumes. Yemenite Houthis have claimed responsibility for the attack, but the US and the Arab Coalition which supports the Yemenite government believe that Iran was behind it.
The Houthis have previously used drones to attack Saudi oil facilities, but without causing such serious problems.