FNA - Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh underlined Iran's major advances in designing and manufacturing different state-of-the-art drones.

"We are even ahead of the top world powers in the drones sector and we are way ahead of them," General Hajizadeh said, addressing a ceremony in the Northern city of Qazvin on Wednesday.

He described Iran as the top regional power in the sector, saying that the country has been able to develop different types of home-made missiles as well.

"The young Iranian people have managed to put the country at the peak of power with their excellent ideas in the radar, missile and drone sectors," General Hajizadeh said.

His remarks came after Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami underlined the country's self-sufficiency in different military and defense fields, dismissing any concerns about the US sanctions and pressures.

"Today, I should announce that we are not concerned about the sanctions because we have produced all our defensive needs in all the marine, air and ground sectors," General Hatami told FNA on the sidelines of the 4th International Asia-Pacific Forum on Military Medicine in Tehran in October.

He underscored the Iranian Armed Forces' preparedness to confront any threat and danger that aims to distort the country's security.

General Hatami referred to Iran's recent missile strikes against the terrorists in Syria, and said they displayed the country's capabilities and strong will to confront threats.

The IRGC launched drone and missile strikes on ISIL strongholds in Eastern Syria on October 1 in response to the September 22 terrorist attacks in Southwestern Iran.

26 people were killed and 69 others were wounded in an attack by al-Ahwaziya terrorist group during the nationwide military parades in the Southwestern city of Ahwaz on September 22.

The terrorists attacked the bystanders watching the annual Armed Forces' parades, marking the start of the Sacred Defense Week, commemorating Iranians' sacrifices during the 8 years of the Iraqi imposed war on Iran in 1980s, in disguise of the IRGC and Basij (volunteer) forces, killing and wounding several people, including innocent women and children.

In response, the IRGC fired 6 ballistic ground-to-ground missiles and launched drone attacks on terrorists' positions in Eastern Euphrates region in Eastern Syria.

During the operations codenamed Zarbat-e Moharram (Blow of Moharram) carried out at 2:00 AM (local time) October 1 against the headquarters of Takfiri terrorists near Albu Kamal region in Eastern Euphrates was attacked from Kermanshah province in Western Iran, 570km away from the targets.

General Hajizadeh announced later that the missile and drone strikes against the terrorist targets in Syria killed 40 ISIL commanders and smashed all targets.

Later reports said that the IRGC had used the home-made drone, Saeqeh (Thunderbolt), for pounding the command center of the terrorists in Eastern Syria.