General (ret.) Mohsen Rafighdoost, former minister of the IRGC, a position that has since been merged with the Ministry of Defense, stated that Iran is not economically or culturally independent, but it is completely independent in terms of defense—from bullets to missiles.
He explained that he established groups to manufacture various weapons, including chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. While Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini instructed him not to create an atomic bomb, Rafighdoost confirmed that they did produce chemical and biological weapons.
Rafighdoost also emphasized that a line of defense must be established from China, through India and Iran, to Russia, as a counter to the U.S. and Europe. He said that this has happened, and Iran is no longer in anyone’s pocket, rather it is engaged in cooperation.
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"We Are Not Economically Or Culturally Independent, But When It Comes To Defense, We Are Completely Independent"
Interviewer: "There is a rumor about the purchase of [military] equipment at a certain point in time – that we bought weapons from Israel. Is it true?"
Mohsen Rafighdoost: "That's what the Israelis are saying. They tried really hard [to sell us weapons], but they did not succeed. We did not buy as much as a single bullet from them.
[...]
"Our precision-guided missiles – one specific missile even the U.S. does not have. With regard to UAVs, they have UAVs that we do not have, and vice versa. Generally speaking, defense is the only aspect that our country... We are not economically or culturally independent, but when it comes to defense, we are completely independent."
Interviewer: "Completely?"
Rafighdoost: "Yes, 100%. Beginning with bullets...
We Produced Chemical, Biological, Radioactive Weapons; Imam Khomeini Only Said Not To Make Atomic Bombs
"One day, I met with Imam [Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini]. I had established 18 [manufacturing] groups, beginning with bullets and all the way to missiles. The last group that I established was called CBN or CBR..."
Interviewer: "Chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear [weapons]."
Rafighdoost: "The Imam asked what it was, and I explained. He said: 'Does that mean atomic?' I said: 'Yes.' Then he said: 'Atomic – no. Don't make atomic [bombs].'"
Interviewer: "So chemical and radioactive [sic]..."
Rafighdoost: "We produced these [weapons]."
Interviewer: "The Imam did not object?"
Rafighdoost: "He did not say anything."
[...]
"A Line Of Defense Needs To Be Established From China, Through India And Iran, To Russia, In Opposition To America And Europe"
Interviewer: "One question that occupies the public opinion and the youth, and they raise it in the virtual sphere: Are we in the pocket of the East now?"
Rafighdoost: "No, we are not."
Interviewer: "Take, for example, our 20-year contract with Russia, or the 25-year contract with China. They say that from the defense and military perspective, we are becoming a client state of China and Russia. How do you see that? How do you answer the new generation?"
Rafighdoost: "All the objective analysts in the world say that a line of defense needs to be established from China, and through India and Iran, to Russia, in opposition to America and Europe. So now it happened. We are in nobody's pocket. We are..."
Interviewer: "So it's cooperation."
Rafighdoost: "Yes, cooperation."
