TEHRAN -- Iranian Parliament Speaker Muhammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the unveiling of a new underground missile city by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force marks a shift in the strategic equations of the region, describing the facility as a major military achievement developed during the war and under enemy fire.
Addressing an open session of parliament, Ghalibaf said the new facility demonstrates Iran’s ability to advance its military capabilities despite sanctions, military pressure and continued attacks.
“We witnessed the unveiling of a new missile city during these days; a valuable achievement that was created during the war and under enemy fire,” he said.
“This achievement, beyond being a technical and defensive accomplishment, is a symbol of changing strategic equations in the region.”
The IRGC Aerospace Force unveiled the underground facility on November 10, displaying ballistic and cruise missiles alongside their launch systems. The ceremony was attended by Armed
Forces Chief of Staff Major General Ali Abdollahi and IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Brigadier General Majid Mousavi.
The unveiling followed an earlier announcement by IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Hussein Mohebbi that the force is developing underground missile production facilities, expanding beyond storage complexes to establish missile production cities deep beneath the ground.
Mohebbi said Iran has been moving missile and drone production lines from surface installations to underground facilities to ensure that manufacturing can continue despite enemy bombardment. He said Iran’s domestic expertise, geographical scale and flexible production infrastructure will make it difficult for adversaries to disrupt its weapons production.
Ghalibaf praised the Aerospace Force, linking its achievements to the experience of older generations and the commitment of younger personnel.
“Today, the Aerospace Force is a combination of the experience of the young people of the 1960s and the faith of the young people of the 1980s and 1990s,” he said, referring to the Iranian calendar decades.
He said the organization has relied on domestic capabilities and religious conviction to overcome difficulties and achieve previously impossible objectives.
Ghalibaf added that the force’s achievements has strengthened morale inside Iran and given hope to people across the region and the world, particularly Palestinian children.
He said the Aerospace Force has deprived Israel of sleep and become a source of confidence for oppressed and freedom-seeking nations.
The parliament speaker then turned to the prospect of renewed confrontation with Washington, saying Iran will not remain indefinitely in a state of “neither war nor peace.”
“For us, it does not matter at all whether America wants negotiations or war,” he said.
Ghalibaf said the door to an agreement remains open if Washington accepts seven conditions put forward by Tehran, which he described as the outcome of the Iranian people’s sacrifices and resistance.
However, he warned that any further American military action will change the scope of the war.
“If the Americans make a mistake this time, the geography of the battlefield will be determined by the capabilities and resolve of Iran’s Armed Forces, not by their wishes and decisions,” he said.
“The smoke of a new war will affect many,” he added, warning that the consequences of renewed hostilities would extend beyond the immediate parties to the confrontation.
Ghalibaf also used his parliamentary address to respond to recent comments by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, criticizing his offensive remarks and unethical language directed at Iran.
Bessent recently described Iran as a “dangerous cornered animal” and said he had moved from his Washington residence to a military facility following security advice from the Secret Service over alleged threats.
Responding to the remarks, Ghalibaf said Bessent’s language reflects frustration over Iran’s military capabilities.
“The absurd remarks and unethical language of the U.S. Treasury secretary demonstrate their deep desperation in confronting the power of the Islamic Republic,” he said.
He also referred to Bessent’s reported relocation to a military facility, saying the Treasury secretary should consider Washington’s setbacks in the Persian Gulf instead of insulting other nations.
“Someone who, out of fear of the shadow of threats, has fled his own home to military shelters would be better advised to think about his strategic defeats in the Persian Gulf rather than insult great nations,” Ghalibaf said.