Iran to produce 3 types of missiles by yearend: Defense minister
Iran’s defense chief says the Islamic Republic is set to unveil three new types of missiles in the coming months, adding that state-of-the-art ballistic missile Zolfaqar has been put on the production line.
Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan made the announcement at a plenary session of the parliament (Majlis) on Sunday.
Iran is observing the Sacred Defense Week, which marks the 36th anniversary of the eight-year Iraqi war against the country.
“We will begin manufacturing three fundamental products in the area of missile [development] by the end of the year,” said the Iranian minister, stressing that the latest defense achievements will greatly promote the country’s defense might.
“These three missiles include Qadir, Sejil (solid-fuel long-range models) as well as high-precision Khorramshahr,” he added.
He further announced that Iran has now launched the production line of precision-guided solid-fuel anti-radar jamming missile Zolfaqar.
Zolfaghar, with a range of 750 kilometers, is a multiple reentry vehicle (MRV) missile capable of carrying several warheads.
It is the latest generation of Iran’s long-range missiles and can carry out precision strikes against targets on the ground and airport tarmacs.
The missile was unveiled during a recent large-scale naval parade in Iran’s port city of Bandar Abbas.
Iran is now capable of designing and producing missiles with any range as well as any level of precision and destructive power when it comes to cruise types and the ones using solid or liquid fuel, he added.
In the future, Iran will develop ground-to-ground ballistic missiles that can hit maritime targets far away, Dehqan pointed out.
“In the area of missile defense, we know no limits to our might, and that is why we will continue to boost our defense power as scheduled,” Dehqan said.
He said Iran is the only country that enjoys peace and stability in a region severely troubled by violence, adding that the Islamic Republic is the standard-bearer of the fight against terror and leaves no stone unturned to restore calm to the region.
In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.
Iran has also conducted military drills to enhance the defense capabilities of its armed forces and to test modern military tactics and state-of-the-art army equipment.
The Islamic Republic maintains that its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.
