Iran's secret underground missile production? IRGC says factories kept running during US attacks: 'Enemies will be astonished'

Iran has constructed extensive subterranean missile facilities, drawing on its own technical capabilities and geographical advantages, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson said Saturday (Nov 07), as the force marked its dedicated Aerospace Week.

Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi, the IRGC spokesperson, made the remarks at a press briefing at the Sarcheshmeh Cultural Complex in Tehran, according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency. He said production facilities had been moved below ground and kept running through enemy bombardment. "By establishing flexible production capabilities and continuing to manufacture missiles and drones under enemy bombardment, we managed to move production facilities from above ground to underground," he said, adding that specialised equipment would be put on display during Aerospace Week so the public could see it up close.

'Seized 7 intact enemy drones': Iran's air defence claims

Mohebbi opened the briefing by honouring historical figures and fallen personnel linked to past regional conflicts. "Aerospace Week serves as a valuable opportunity to honour martyrs of the Aerospace Force, its veterans, commanders and their esteemed families, as well as to highlight the salient achievements and performance of the IRGC Aerospace Force."

He said air defence units intercepted and brought down 260 hostile aircraft during hostilities between the United States and Iran, and that authorities had recovered seven intact reconnaissance aircraft over the preceding fortnight. "Over the past week or two, we have brought down seven MQM-170 reconnaissance drones intact. This is nothing but a demonstration of our technological superiority over the enemy," he said.

"If another war breaks out, the world will witness the IRGC Aerospace Force's new capabilities, and our enemies will be astonished by its strength and power."

Three pillars of Iran's progress

The spokesperson also laid out what he described as three foundational pillars of development. The first was home-grown scientific expertise. "The first strategic achievement of the IRGC Aerospace Force is the generation of indigenous knowledge and the localisation of global knowledge within the aerospace industry," he said, describing it as the catalyst that transformed Iran from an importer of military weaponry into an exporter in the aerospace sector.

The second was industrial application producing proprietary systems. He said current output meets domestic requirements while supplying international markets with systems including the Arman missile, the 358 drone and the Khordad-3 air defence system. "Today, in addition to meeting domestic needs, we have become an exporter of defence equipment and products, a significant achievement for the country."

The third pillar, he said, is complete self-sufficiency rather than foreign dependency. "Today, the Aerospace Force's weaponry is produced based on indigenous knowledge and expertise; we do not rely on foreign nations to supply the arms, equipment and components we require."