In a dramatic turn of events that has sent ripples across global security circles, Iran has publicly declared its capability to export missiles and advanced military technology, while a former top security official made a rare admission of regret over the country’s historical restraint in nuclear weapons development. The statements, coming from two of Iran’s most influential military and strategic figures, highlight both the country’s growing confidence in its indigenous defense sector and the enduring tensions shaping its regional and international posture.
On October 11, 2025, Brigadier General Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Naval Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), proudly announced that Iran has achieved self-sufficiency in sensitive military domains and is now able to export missiles, drones, and naval vessels to other countries. According to the Tehran Times, General Tangsiri stated, “Today, we are proud to be one of the countries that can export missiles, drones and vessels.” This declaration marks a significant milestone for a nation that, just decades earlier, was fighting for its survival with scarcely any equipment during the grueling eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s.
General Tangsiri recalled Iran’s dire situation during that conflict, emphasizing, “They attacked us. We had bare hands. We had nothing, and they didn’t give us anything, either. As the Supreme Leader of the [Islamic] Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei] aptly said, they even denied us barbed wire.” The memory of that isolation and deprivation has fueled Iran’s determination to develop a robust domestic defense industry, a drive that appears to have paid off handsomely in recent years.
Despite Israeli claims that its recent military operations had crippled Iran’s missile and drone capabilities, Iran’s armed forces have demonstrated remarkable resilience and innovation. The country’s domestically produced arsenal now includes a wide array of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), such as the Shahed drone, which has attracted international attention for its cost-effectiveness and battlefield performance. According to The Wall Street Journal, multiple countries—including the United States, China, France, and the UK—are now racing to develop low-cost, long-range drones modeled after Iran’s Shahed. American companies like Griffon Aerospace and Sweden’s Saab have even begun selling target-practice UAVs resembling Iran’s munitions.
Iran’s drone program, in particular, has enabled it to carry out long-range strikes with a level of accuracy that has significantly altered the military balance in West Asia. In June 2025, Iran deployed its Shahed drones and launched dozens of missiles in retaliation for Israeli military actions. The strikes triggered air raid sirens across Israeli-occupied territories, sending residents scrambling for shelter. Israeli media reported massive explosions in the heart of Tel Aviv, suggesting that some of the missiles had managed to evade Israel’s sophisticated three-tier air defense systems and hit their intended targets. These attacks were part of Operation True Promise III, which targeted military facilities and operational support centers, including Ben Gurion Airport and sites in the central occupied Palestinian territories.
This surge in Iranian military capability has not gone unnoticed by adversaries and allies alike. In a candid interview on October 12, 2025, Ali Shamkhani, the former Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, made headlines by expressing regret that Iran did not pursue nuclear weapons in the 1990s. As reported by WANA, Shamkhani said, “I wish I had thought about building a nuclear bomb in the 1990s; if I could go back, I would definitely pursue nuclear weapons.” He asserted that “it has now been proven that Iran should have possessed an atomic bomb.”
Shamkhani’s remarks, broadcast as part of an Iranian documentary program, touched on a wide range of sensitive topics, including the possibility of foreign involvement in the assassination of Ayatollah Raisi and the downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane in 2020. He revealed that Iranian investigations into the plane crash found no internal cause but did not entirely rule out foreign interference, stating, “the cause of the incident may be beyond our technical assessment,” and that foreign involvement “cannot be ruled out with absolute certainty.”
Reflecting on Iran’s military responses to regional threats, Shamkhani described the 2020 missile strike on the Ayn al-Asad base in Iraq as a “swift, hard and credible response” that sent a clear message to adversaries. He emphasized that Iran’s responses are not limited to missile launches, hinting at a broader toolkit of strategic options. Shamkhani also highlighted Iran’s naval strength, referencing a past victory over an Israeli rival at sea and warning that closing the Strait of Hormuz remains a last-resort option, to be considered only in the most extreme circumstances.
On the subject of Iran’s military growth, Shamkhani acknowledged both achievements and shortcomings. “Missile policy had been correct from the beginning and indigenization was achieved; drones and naval capabilities have also advanced, but we started late in air defense, and this shortcoming must be corrected,” he admitted. He noted that Iran’s response capability has grown significantly over four decades, with operational errors in earlier phases of the True Promise campaigns being corrected in subsequent operations, leading to improved precision.
Shamkhani also addressed the persistent threat posed by Israeli assassination campaigns targeting key Iranian defense personnel. “The enemy targets the producers of defensive power. Israel has gone beyond targeted assassination and believes that anyone who plays a role in strengthening military or resistance capabilities must be eliminated,” he said, pointing to a long record of such actions in Iraq, Egypt, and the West Bank. He warned that Iran’s key defense capability targets remain within range of adversaries’ strategies.
The former security chief painted a picture of Iran as often isolated in its defense efforts. He explained that Russia, due to its own conflicts, has not been able to be a fully committed partner, and previous proposals for defense cooperation have faltered because of technical and political obstacles. Shamkhani further warned that the full support provided by the West and the United States to Israel after October 7, 2025, had amplified the consequences of the recent war, suggesting that without such backing, the outcome might have been less severe.
As Iran continues to strengthen its military capabilities and export its technology, the country’s leaders insist that these measures are defensive in nature. Iranian officials have repeatedly stated that they will not hesitate to bolster their military strength in the face of persistent threats and sanctions. Yet, the dual narrative emerging from Tehran—one of pride in technological achievement and another of regret over past restraint—underscores the complex and precarious security environment in which Iran now operates.
For now, Iran’s advances in missile and drone technology have not only reshaped its own defense posture but have also triggered a global race to replicate its innovations. The world is watching closely as the balance of power in West Asia—and perhaps beyond—continues to shift.
