On December 4, Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, commander of the Iranian Air Force, announced the country’s plans to increase the range of its air-to-air missiles and ammunition. In his interview with Iran’s Fars News Agency, General Nasirzadeh specified that Iran is “after Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) missiles and ammunition” and that it intends to develop long-range, smart ammunition and missiles. He also emphasized increasing Iran’s deterrence capabilities as a major reason for its commitment to advancing missile strike and defense technology. General Nasirzadeh’s interview follows the United States’ reimposition of sanctions on Iran in May and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s December 1 condemnation of an Iranian MRBM test.