Tehran has showcased a new, long-range cruise missile, capable of covering over 1,350 kilometers. The munition has been already successfully tested, according to the country's military.
The missile, dubbed Hoveyzeh, was shown to the general public for the very first time in Tehran on Saturday, amid celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
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“This cruise missile needs a very short time for its preparedness and can fly at a low altitude,” Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said while unveiling the munition.
Apart from being revealed to the public at the presentation, a Hoveyzeh-type missile has already been successfully tested, flying 1,200km (745 miles) and accurately hitting a dummy target, the minister said. The missile has a range of over 1,350 kilometers, the official revealed, yet the exact maximum range of the brand new munition remains a mystery.
The new munition belongs to the Soumar family of cruise missiles. The original Soumar missile was unveiled in 2015, and it is said to be capable of flying 700km.
Iranian officials have reiterated that the ongoing buildup of missile capabilities is solely defensive in nature and used only to deter any potential adversaries from taking military action against the country.
Tehran's missile program has drawn much ire in the West – in the US in particular – with Washington trying to link the issue with the Iranian nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). US President Donald Trump officially walked away from the multinational agreement last May, after repeatedly blasting it as the “worst deal ever.”
While Washington has begun re-imposing sanctions on Iran, the latter has vehemently refused to renegotiate anything or bring the missile program into the nuclear deal in any fashion.
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