IRGC Unveils Rezvan, to Test Anti-Ballistic System

Date: 10 January 2025 - 23:04

News ID: ۱۳۵۷۰۱

TEHRAN -- The Islamic
Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Thursday unveiled its latest loitering munitions drone, the Rezvan, during the ongoing military drills codenamed Great Prophet 19.
The drone, with a range of 20 kilometers and an operating time of 20 minutes, is designed for rapid deployment and targeted attacks, particularly in complex terrain, according to the IRGC.
“Our drones carried out several rounds of firing and drone operations, and in our scenario, we successfully destroyed hypothetical enemies and terrorists attacking Iranian bases,” said Muhammad Pakpour, the commander of the IRGC Ground Forces, on the sidelines of the exercise in the Azgeleh region in the western Kermanshah province.
The suicide drone is fired from a cylindrical launcher and transmits live video to the operator, allowing for precise target selection and engagement, Tasnim reported.
A senior commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force said a new homegrown anti-ballistic defense system will be tested in the near future.
“In the near future, we will witness the testing of the Islamic Republic’s indigenous anti-ballistic defense system, which will undoubtedly create significant equations in the military domain and the perceptions of countries hostile to the Islamic Republic,” Brigadier General Davoud Sheikhiyan said on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, the Iranian Army announced that it will incorporate 1,000 new drones into its combat forces in the coming days. The drones were designed and manufactured jointly by the Iranian Army and the Ministry of Defense, it said.
Commander of the Army’s Ground Force Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari said that the new military equipment joining the Army has capabilities like maneuverability, precision, and smartness.
Iran has been conducting multiple military exercises in the past few weeks, including air defense drills near nuclear sites like Natanz and a 110,000-strong Basij mobilization in Tehran.
IRGC commander-in-chief Hussein Salami said Thursday that the ongoing military exercises aim to make the enemies refine their assessments of Iran’s defense capabilities and demonstrate that the country’s deterrence is unaffected by external events.
He discussed what he characterized as enemy attempts to depict Iran’s defense capabilities as diminished, particularly in the wake of developments in Syria.
“The enemy has invested heavily in psychological and media operations, especially after recent events in Syria, to foster the perception that the defensive and deterrent power of the Islamic Republic of Iran has weakened and that Iran has lost its regional deterrent assets,” he said.

The Great Prophet 19 exercise is the latest in a series of drills conducted by Iran’s military to showcase its capabilities and project a message of strength in the region.
On Friday, Gen. Salami said Iran will soon unveil missile and drone cities, calling them as symbols of military strength and self-reliance, independent of foreign territories like Syria.
Iran, he said, faces no shortages of missiles, drones or naval vessels, calling them key elements of the country’s deterrence strategy.
Gen. Salami said Iran does not rely on Syria for its deterrent power. “Syria fell, but we did not rely on military advantages from Syria to an extent that would impact our deterrence.”
“Our deterrence is not based on operations from any other land. It is fully rooted in Iranian soil, will, decisions, and actions,” he added.
On Friday, the IRGC Ground Force launched the final stage of the Great Prophet 19 military exercise in western Iran, during which rapid response operation scenarios were performed with the swift transfer of troops and equipment to the exercise area.
In another part of the exercise, the IRGC Ground Force Airborne Division’s Cobra helicopters practiced destroying predetermined targets.
In Tehran, 110,000 Basij members paraded in the city, demonstrating their readiness to confront threats and participate in relief and rescue operations.
IRGC Tehran chief Brigadier General Hassan Hassanzadeh had described the parade as a cultural-combat even, saying it conveyed the message to the enemies that those sacrificing their lives for the Iranian nation remain firm in the scene.