Tasnim – Highlighting the country’s deterrent power, Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said the US government wanted to invade the Islamic Republic in 1991 or 2001 but did not dare to do so.

In 1991 or 2001 when the US invaded the Middle East region with the support of 30 countries, its main target was not Afghanistan or Iraq, Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said in a speech on Sunday.

The Americans actually wanted to attack the Islamic Republic of Iran but, faced with the country’s military preparedness under a “vigilant and prudent” leadership supported by the Iranian people, they realized that they could not confront the country, he said.

The commander further addressed the country’s soldiers and youths, saying the preparedness of the armed forces in peacetime has a message for enemies and undermines them.

Therefore, the Iranian Armed Forces should preserve their preparedness in the face of foreign threats, he added.

In September 2016, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called on Iran’s Armed Forces to remain in a constant state of preparedness to counter threats.

“The Iranian nation is today faced with a wide range of enemies because of its insistence on Islam, independence, sublime values… and the Armed Forces must be ready all the time to play their role if necessary,” the Leader said at the time.