Iranian Military Chief Calls for Stronger Civil Defense After Wars With Israel and U.S.

Iranian military chief Major General Ali Abdollahi called on Saturday, October 31, for stronger passive-defense measures across the armed forces, saying Iran should apply lessons from its recent wars with Israel and the United States. He issued the message for Civil Defense Week in his capacity as armed forces chief of staff and commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. Abdollahi described implementing passive-defense requirements as a “vital and definitive necessity.” He said preparations should address threats across different dimensions and draw on modern scientific methods, creativity and innovation. His message linked those preparations to reducing vulnerability and improving the armed forces’ ability to withstand attacks. The priorities he listed included protecting military personnel, critical infrastructure and assets, strengthening cybersecurity, and maintaining military missions during war or crises. He also emphasized resilience and the continued functioning of the armed forces’ main components. These were objectives he urged the military to pursue, rather than an announcement that specific facilities or systems had been completed. Abdollahi thanked personnel working on passive defense and called for preparedness throughout the armed forces under Mojtaba Khamenei’s guidance. His message set out broad requirements for military resilience without naming a new operation, a procurement agreement, a budget or an implementation timetable.