Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Aug 23: Iran's production of weapons and defence equipment has doubled over the past 12 months, a senior Defence Ministry official said, amid continuing regional tensions and stalled diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
Iranian Defence Ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik, speaking to state-run IRIB TV on Friday evening, said production of certain strategic military products and equipment had increased more than threefold since the beginning of the war in late February.
He said the rise in production had been achieved despite limited sections of Iran's defence industry being targeted during the 12-day war with Israel in June last year.
Talaei-Nik said strengthening Iran's military capabilities was the only way to counter foreign powers seeking to undermine the country's independence.
On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks against Israel as well as US bases and assets in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.
A ceasefire between the warring parties was reached on April 8. On June 18, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the war across the region, including in Lebanon.
Under the MoU, the two countries were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, with the deadline falling on August 17, to work towards a final agreement. However, the two sides failed to make sufficient progress as tensions continued to escalate.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi held a phone conversation on Saturday to discuss the latest regional developments and diplomatic efforts to ease tensions.
The two ministers discussed efforts to create conditions for a return to diplomacy, including implementation of the MoU signed between the United States and Iran on June 18, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
Abdelatty stressed the need to intensify diplomatic efforts to contain the escalation and reach peaceful understandings aimed at restoring security and stability in the region.
He also highlighted the importance of ensuring the freedom and safety of international navigation and respecting the security and stability of Gulf states in a manner that serves the interests of people across the region.
Araghchi briefed Abdelatty on Iran's assessment of recent developments, the progress of negotiations and the challenges facing the diplomatic process, the statement said.