Iran Defense Minister: New surface-to-surface missiles testimony to Iran’s ‘self sufficiency’ in weapons production, reports Iran state television channel Al Alam.
Iran’s military received a new ballistic missile system on Sunday, which it claims is testimony to the country’s self-sufficiency in mass-producing weaponry.
"The new surface-to-surface missiles, Qiyam (Resurrection) 1, were successfully tested and delivered to the armed forces today," Iran’s Arabic-language state television channel Al Alam said Sunday.
It did not disclose the range of the missile, delivered to the aerospace wing of the elite Revolutionary Guards, but said it was designed to be less easily detected than older models.
"The mass production of the Qiyam missile, the first without stabilizer fins, shows the Islamic Republic of Iran’s self-sufficiency in producing various types of missiles,"
Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said according the semi-official Fars news agency.
Iran is at loggerheads with major world powers over its nuclear work, which it says is peaceful and intended solely for generating electricity but which Washington and its allies fear is aimed at making nuclear weapons.
Israel sees the potential of a nuclear armed Iran — which refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist and supports militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah — as a major threat and both it and its ally Washington do not rule out military action to prevent such a scenario from happening.
In U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech on Mideast policy Thursday, he condemned Tehran’s suppression of human rights and lack of democracy, sentiments he reiterated in his comments to the press with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the following day.
Obama said in his remarks Friday that the United States and Israel share "deep concerns about Iran" and the threat that it poses not only to Israel but to the region and to the world.
He added that the U.S. will continue applying pressure on Iran using diplomatic means and sanctions, and reiterated that it is unacceptable that Iran possess nuclear weapons.
Iran has said it would respond to any attack by targeting U.S. interests and Israel.