Tasnim � Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami unveiled plans to raise the country�s combat power in various military areas.

In a meeting with a group of Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday, Brigadier General Hatami said a boost to the country�s combat capabilities has been put on the agenda.

Pointing to plans to enhance Iran�s military power in the missile industry, aerial and ground combat, and electronic warfare, the minister said the Islamic Republic has made great progress in the military sphere.

He also highlighted the close cooperation between the Defense Ministry and local scientific, academic and knowledge-based sectors, saying the ministry has provided support for the domestic car industry by manufacturing various automotive parts and supplying the demands of car factories.

Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran�s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.

Back in February 2018, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran�s defense capabilities, hitting back at the enemies for disputing the country�s missile program.

�Without a moment of hesitation, the country must move to acquire whatever is necessary for defense, even if the whole world is opposed to it,� Ayatollah Khamenei said at the time.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Brigadier General Hatami pointed to the recent unrest in Lebanon and Iraq, stressing that the protests are internal issues of those countries that must be settled only by their people.

The defense minister also expressed hope that the conscious partnership of the Lebanese and Iraqi people would result in security and stability in the two countries and that they could rely on the law to disappoint outsiders who seek to take advantage of the situation and foment insecurity.