Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh downplayed the significance of the United States delivering the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system to Israel, calling it part of “the enemy’s psychological warfare.” He made these remarks on Wednesday during a press conference following a weekly cabinet meeting in Tehran, according to reports from Xinhua and the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Nasirzadeh stated that the THAAD system is not new, noting, “It has existed before. We see these actions as part of psychological tactics from the enemy. There is no particular concern from our side.”
The United States announced on Sunday that it would be sending its THAAD system to Israel, along with soldiers to operate it. This decision follows recent tensions between Iran and Israel, particularly after Iran launched around 180 missiles at Israeli targets on October 1, in what Tehran described as retaliation for the assassination of leaders from regional resistance groups and Israel’s military actions against Lebanese and Palestinian armed groups.
In response to the missile strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran had made a “grave mistake” and promised retaliation. This exchange has heightened tensions in the region, with both sides making moves to strengthen their military capabilities.
