IRGC Unveils Multiple Ballistic Missile Launcher
TEHRAN (Dispatches) – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) unveiled a homegrown multiple ballistic missile launcher on Wednesday.
The automated and smart system, used for launching multiple long-range ballistic missiles, has been manufactured by the IRGC Aerospace Force.
The homegrown missile launcher system was unveiled by IRGC Commander Major General Hussein Salami.
"The launch of our missiles rattles the enemy. Our missile power guarantees the withdrawal of enemies,” the IRGC commander said in the unveiling ceremony.
He also said that the deterrent and defense capabilities give Iran huge power that helps the country demonstrate its political will and impose it on the enemy if necessary.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great headways in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sphere.
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.
After a long-standing conventional arms embargo on Iran ended on last month despite Washington’s opposition, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned of consequences for any individuals or entities that conduct arms deals with Iran.
"Pompeo’s remarks are the most important sign that not even he believes unilateral U.S. sanctions have been successful, and no UN sanctions have been reinstated,” spokesman of Iran’s Foreign Ministry Saeed Khatibzadeh said.
"Iran continues to believe it can operate within the framework of international agreements. What they fear is Iran’s return to the massive market of technology and arms exports,” Khatibzadeh said, adding that Iran produces 90 percent of its defense needs locally and will mostly look to export arms rather than import them.
In an interview with state television on Sunday night, Defense Minister Amir Hatami said Iran will only sell weapons to countries that it is sure "won’t misuse them” and will employ them strictly for defense purposes.
"Unlike the Americans, we wouldn’t do just about everything for money,” he said, pointing out that the U.S. sells billions of dollars of arms to Arab nations in the Middle East that fuel wars.
Iran’s foreign ministry said "unconventional arms, weapons of mass destruction and a buying spree of conventional arms have no place” in the country’s defense doctrine.
The U.S. tried to stop the lifting of the arms embargo on Iran twice at the UN Security Council.
In August, it introduced a resolution to indefinitely extend the embargo while in September it claimed it unilaterally reinstated UN sanctions on Iran, including the arms embargo.
On both occasions, the Security Council rejected the moves, saying they have no legal basis.
The 13-year ban came to an end as part of Resolution 2231 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an accord signed in 2015 that gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.
The U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and has since blacklisted the entire Iranian financial sector.
The expiry of the embargo means Iran will face no challenges by the Security Council in trying to buy or sell conventional weapons, which include tanks, missiles and fighter jets among others.
A European ban on arms deals with Iran, separate from the UN arms embargo, will remain in place until 2023.
The automated and smart system, used for launching multiple long-range ballistic missiles, has been manufactured by the IRGC Aerospace Force.
The homegrown missile launcher system was unveiled by IRGC Commander Major General Hussein Salami.
"The launch of our missiles rattles the enemy. Our missile power guarantees the withdrawal of enemies,” the IRGC commander said in the unveiling ceremony.
He also said that the deterrent and defense capabilities give Iran huge power that helps the country demonstrate its political will and impose it on the enemy if necessary.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great headways in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sphere.
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.
After a long-standing conventional arms embargo on Iran ended on last month despite Washington’s opposition, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned of consequences for any individuals or entities that conduct arms deals with Iran.
"Pompeo’s remarks are the most important sign that not even he believes unilateral U.S. sanctions have been successful, and no UN sanctions have been reinstated,” spokesman of Iran’s Foreign Ministry Saeed Khatibzadeh said.
"Iran continues to believe it can operate within the framework of international agreements. What they fear is Iran’s return to the massive market of technology and arms exports,” Khatibzadeh said, adding that Iran produces 90 percent of its defense needs locally and will mostly look to export arms rather than import them.
In an interview with state television on Sunday night, Defense Minister Amir Hatami said Iran will only sell weapons to countries that it is sure "won’t misuse them” and will employ them strictly for defense purposes.
"Unlike the Americans, we wouldn’t do just about everything for money,” he said, pointing out that the U.S. sells billions of dollars of arms to Arab nations in the Middle East that fuel wars.
Iran’s foreign ministry said "unconventional arms, weapons of mass destruction and a buying spree of conventional arms have no place” in the country’s defense doctrine.
The U.S. tried to stop the lifting of the arms embargo on Iran twice at the UN Security Council.
In August, it introduced a resolution to indefinitely extend the embargo while in September it claimed it unilaterally reinstated UN sanctions on Iran, including the arms embargo.
On both occasions, the Security Council rejected the moves, saying they have no legal basis.
The 13-year ban came to an end as part of Resolution 2231 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an accord signed in 2015 that gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.
The U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and has since blacklisted the entire Iranian financial sector.
The expiry of the embargo means Iran will face no challenges by the Security Council in trying to buy or sell conventional weapons, which include tanks, missiles and fighter jets among others.
A European ban on arms deals with Iran, separate from the UN arms embargo, will remain in place until 2023.