MNA � Mojtaba Zonnour, Chairman of Parliament�s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, says that Iranian armed forces are at the maximum level of preparedness.

Speaking on a visit to holy city of Qom, Chairman of Parliament�s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mojtaba Zonnour said that �according to my knowledge of the country�s defense structure and the armed forces, we have not been as prepared as today in the face of the enemies� threats in the region since the war [with Iraq].�

Zonnour said that the experiences that the armed forces got during the eight years of war with Iraq, as well as experiences from other periods of time after the war, have helped them to be at the best level of readiness.

He added that the armed forces today have reached a high level of deterrence capabilities.

The national security committee chairman also referred to the recent downing of an advanced US drone by the Iranian air defense, noting that the Americans have not been able to respond because they were not able to assume and assess the level of the Islamic Republic�s response.

He further noted �if the Americans had realized that the Iranian armed forces lacked deterrence capabilities and devastating power, they would definitely have retaliated the shooting down of their drone. This shows that our defense capabilities are in a very appropriate condition.�