Iran’s IRGC says building underground sites for weapons production, storage

What the report says

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said the country is expanding underground military facilities that can keep weapons production and storage running even if above-ground sites come under attack. The remarks were made in Tehran on Saturday by IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi, according to Iranian media cited by Al Jazeera. Semi-official Tasnim news agency also reported plans to unveil an “underground missile city.”

Mohebbi said missile and drone production lines had been moved from surface sites to underground locations, which he said would help Iran maintain output despite heavy bombardment. He also pointed to advances in stealth systems and claimed Iranian missiles and drones have been able to bypass air defenses in past confrontations with the United States and Israel. Al Jazeera reported that IRGC media statements described the force’s weapons as being produced with domestic expertise.

The comments come amid heightened regional tensions after earlier fighting involving Iran, the US and Israel, and as Washington continues sanctions pressure on Tehran. Al Jazeera also noted separate reporting on damage caused to US bases and Gulf infrastructure during previous rounds of conflict. The new IRGC statements appear intended to signal resilience and deterrence as talks and mediation efforts continue around the wider conflict.