Iran’s acting defense minister, Majid Ibn al-Reza, has identified four main priorities for the country’s military and defense sector in preparation for any possible future conflict or war. The guidance was issued in a recent address to scientists in Iran’s defense industry, according to the state news agency IRNA, as reported on August 2, 2026. He also warned officials against complacency despite what he described as failures by U.S. military objectives.

The four priorities are space-based technology, achieving intelligence superiority, increasing the resilience of the country’s industrial infrastructure, and a “defense economy.” He said the defense-economy approach aims to produce effective, affordable, organized and large quantities of military equipment through domestic technology.

The minister said hostile countries, particularly the United States, may have failed to achieve military goals, but Iran cannot afford to become complacent. He called for Iran’s defense industry to move ahead at twice its previous pace in innovation, readiness and progress. The report said Iran has developed low-cost, fast drones and missiles using domestic technology despite decades of Western economic and military sanctions.