Iran Unveils Haj Qassem, Abu Mahdi Missiles
TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran displayed a surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Thursday that Defense Minister Amir Hatami said had a range of 1,400 kilometers and a new cruise missile, ignoring U.S. demands that Tehran halt its missile program.
"The surface-to-surface missile, called Martyr Haj Soleimani, has a range of 1,400 km and the cruise missile, called Martyr Abu Mahdi, has a range of over 1,000 km,” Hatami said in a televised speech.
Pictures of the missiles were shown on national TV, which it said was "the newest Iranian cruise missile that will further strengthen Iran’s deterrence power”.
Gen. Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran’s Quds Force, and Iraqi anti-terror commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were assassinated in January in a terrorist U.S. strike on their convoy in Baghdad airport.
"Missiles and particularly cruise missiles are very important for us ... the fact that we have increased the range from 300 to 1,000 in less than two years is a great achievement,” said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. "Our military might and missile programs are defensive.”
The announcement comes as Washington pushed to extend a UN-imposed arms embargo against Iran, which is due to expire in October under Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Tensions have been high between Tehran and Washington since 2018, when President Donald Trump pulled out the United States from the deal and reimposed the most draconian sanctions on Iran.
Washington says its aim is to force Tehran to agree a broader deal that puts stricter limits on its nuclear work, curbs its ballistic missile program and ends its regional influence. Iran has rejected talks as long as U.S. sanctions remain in place.
National TV said the Martyr Haj Qassem missile was not intercepted by a defense system during a test.
It praised the speed of the ballistic missile as "Iran’s long arm for hitting the aggressors”, and called on people not to forget "Ain al-Assad”, the Iraqi military base housing Americans, hit by Iranian missiles in retaliation for Gen. Soleimani’s assassination.
"I thank the Ministry of Defense for naming one of its most important missiles in honor of General Soleimani,” Rouhani said.
Hatami said that "particular attention was paid to increasing the range” of the missiles.
"In the field of solid fuel ballistic missiles, we have today reached a range of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles),” Hatami said, adding that the missiles had demonstrated their "effectiveness” against "American criminals”.
Also on Thursday, Iran unveiled a fourth-generation light turbo-fan engine for its advanced drones.
Iran also inaugurated the production line of its domestically produced "Owj” engine for the Iranian-made twin-seat Kowsar fighter jet.
Iran routinely unveils technological achievements for its armed forces, its space program and its nuclear efforts.
Iranian officials have underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and
that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.
Back in February 2018, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities, hitting back at the enemies for disputing the country’s missile program.
"Without a moment of hesitation, the country must move to acquire whatever is necessary for defense, even if the whole world is opposed to it,” Ayatollah Khamenei said at the time.
"The surface-to-surface missile, called Martyr Haj Soleimani, has a range of 1,400 km and the cruise missile, called Martyr Abu Mahdi, has a range of over 1,000 km,” Hatami said in a televised speech.
Pictures of the missiles were shown on national TV, which it said was "the newest Iranian cruise missile that will further strengthen Iran’s deterrence power”.
Gen. Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran’s Quds Force, and Iraqi anti-terror commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were assassinated in January in a terrorist U.S. strike on their convoy in Baghdad airport.
"Missiles and particularly cruise missiles are very important for us ... the fact that we have increased the range from 300 to 1,000 in less than two years is a great achievement,” said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. "Our military might and missile programs are defensive.”
The announcement comes as Washington pushed to extend a UN-imposed arms embargo against Iran, which is due to expire in October under Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Tensions have been high between Tehran and Washington since 2018, when President Donald Trump pulled out the United States from the deal and reimposed the most draconian sanctions on Iran.
Washington says its aim is to force Tehran to agree a broader deal that puts stricter limits on its nuclear work, curbs its ballistic missile program and ends its regional influence. Iran has rejected talks as long as U.S. sanctions remain in place.
National TV said the Martyr Haj Qassem missile was not intercepted by a defense system during a test.
It praised the speed of the ballistic missile as "Iran’s long arm for hitting the aggressors”, and called on people not to forget "Ain al-Assad”, the Iraqi military base housing Americans, hit by Iranian missiles in retaliation for Gen. Soleimani’s assassination.
"I thank the Ministry of Defense for naming one of its most important missiles in honor of General Soleimani,” Rouhani said.
Hatami said that "particular attention was paid to increasing the range” of the missiles.
"In the field of solid fuel ballistic missiles, we have today reached a range of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles),” Hatami said, adding that the missiles had demonstrated their "effectiveness” against "American criminals”.
Also on Thursday, Iran unveiled a fourth-generation light turbo-fan engine for its advanced drones.
Iran also inaugurated the production line of its domestically produced "Owj” engine for the Iranian-made twin-seat Kowsar fighter jet.
Iran routinely unveils technological achievements for its armed forces, its space program and its nuclear efforts.
Iranian officials have underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and
that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.
Back in February 2018, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities, hitting back at the enemies for disputing the country’s missile program.
"Without a moment of hesitation, the country must move to acquire whatever is necessary for defense, even if the whole world is opposed to it,” Ayatollah Khamenei said at the time.