Iran has developed a cruise missile with a range of 1,650 km (1,025 miles) a top Revolutionary Guards commander said on Friday, in a move likely to raise Western concerns after Russia's use of Iranian drones in the Ukraine war
Separately, Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guards aerospace force, also spoke of Iran's often repeated threat to avenge the U
S
killing of a top Iranian commander, saying "We are looking to kill (former U
S
President Donald) Trump
" "Our cruise missile with a range of 1,650 km has been added to the missile arsenal of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Hajizadeh, told state TV
The television broadcast what it said was the first footage showing the new Paveh cruise missile
Hajizadeh said Iran did not intend to kill "poor soldiers" when it launched a ballistic missile attack on U
S
-led forces in Iraq days after Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U
S
drone strike in 2020 in Baghdad
"God willing, we are looking to kill Trump
(Former Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo
and military commanders who issued the order (to kill Soleimani) should be killed," Hajizadeh said in the television interview
Iranian leaders have often vowed to avenge Soleimani in strong terms
Iran has expanded its missile programme, particularly its ballistic missiles, in defiance of opposition from the United States and expressions of concern by European countries
Tehran says the programme is purely defensive and of a deterrent nature
Iran has said it had supplied Moscow with drones before the war in Ukraine
Russia has used the drones to target power stations and civilian infrastructure
In November, the Pentagon said the United States was sceptical of reports quoting Hajizadeh as saying Iran had developed a hypersonic ballistic missile
| Date: | 26-Feb-2023 | Reference: | View Original Link |
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