TEHRAN, September 23. /TASS/. Iran has at its disposal piles of missiles in tunnels and bunkers, capable of hitting the enemy, if need be, the deputy commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Brigadier General Hossein Salami said on Iranian television.

He said the Iranian armed forces were capable of resisting any enemy that might try to cause the slightest damage to his country.

"Without any outside assistance and amid economic sanctions and weapons embargoes Iran has managed to build a robust defense-industrial complex. By some standards Iran as abreast of the most advanced countries in military terms. In the drones manufacturing industry we can compete with the United States, Russia and China. Moreover, some major powers have displayed the intention to purchase products of our drone industry," General Salami said.

As he dwelt on the theme of the US threat to Iran, General Salami said that "the United States is using its military potential for intimidating other countries and, if not confronted with a strong rival, will surely be pursuing its political aims from the position of strength."

"Throughout our diplomatic efforts to settle the Iranian nuclear problem the United States has never ruled out a military scenario. But they have not dared act in this way for fear of grave consequences," he said adding that "the Americans lack political logic and understand only the logic of force."

General Salami believes that purchasing Russia’s S-300 air defense systems was not Iran’s vital need.

"That acquisition stemmed from specific contractual obligations under agreements concluded several years ago," he said adding that Iran had at its disposal advanced air defense systems of domestic manufacture.

General Salami’s televised address was timed for Iran’s ongoing Sacred Defense Week. It began on September 21, the day when the Iran-Iraq war started in 1980. By tradition Iran holds various events to demonstrate its military potential, including a parade of military equipment in Tehran and a review of naval ships in Bender-Abbas. Also, senior commanders of the armed forces and the IRGC report progress in the implementation of defense projects and the latest achievements of the national defense industry.