IRGC commander claims Iran has developed an 'ultra secret' AI-powered weapon

An Iranian commander has claimed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) possess a home-grown "ultra secret" weapon that is powered by artificial intelligence. The revelation was made by Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari, the commander of the Ground Force of the Iranian Army.

In an interview with a local channel, Brigadier Heidari boasted about the weapon's abilities calling it "exceptional". "We possess highly advanced weapons, some of which are secret or even ultra-secret. These are extremely sophisticated systems that utilise artificial intelligence. Although still classified as conventional weapons, their capabilities are exceptional," he told al-Alam news network.

On why the Islamic Republic kept it a secret, Heidari cited strategic concerns. "But they were fully operational," he added.

The commander's statement comes days after the Pentagon raised concerns that Iran could be developing plasma weapons. Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said NASA satellites first detected signs of "plasma weapon technology" in 2022. Parnell, however, did not give any solid evidence to substantiate its claims.

A plasma weapon reportedly utilises plasma—the fourth state of matter, consisting of ionized gas at extremely high temperatures—as a means of destruction. They can be made either in the form of projectile weapons, electromagnetic disruptive weapons or thermal ones. However, developing these weapons is extremely challenging, especially for Iran which is reeling under severe sanctions.

Iran recently caught attention by revealing its three major underground military bases or missile cities. The footage shown on the state TV showed dozens of ballistic projectiles and mobile launchers stacked up for quick deployment.

The IRGC Navy also showed visuals of a secret underground naval base along Iran’s southern coast which contained missile-carrying speedboats and anti-ship mines. The highlight of the show was the new Qadr-380 antiship projectile that can travel more than 1,000km, meaning Iran would be able to attack ships from deep inside its territory. 

Middle East