Iran equips High-Speed Zolfaqar Vessel with Cruise Missiles

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi announced on Monday that the country’s Navy has equipped its new high-speed vessels named ‘Zolfaqar’ with ‘Nasr 1’ cruise missiles capable of destroying 3-ton weighted vessels.

“The Zolfaqar vessel is considered as a new model of the vessels of the same class which is capable of conducting operations in different marine conditions thanks to its sea-to-sea missiles and proper speed,” Vahidi said.

Reminding that the vessel has been strengthened with the Nasr 1 cruise missile, he reiterated, “The sea-to-sea cruise missile with high destructive capability and targeting power has immensely increased the vessel’s power.”

Nasr 1 is a short-range coast-to-sea and sea-to-sea missile which can be fired from coasts and all types of vessels.

Meantime, a senior Iranian commander had announced in May that Iran is able to produce its needed military tools and equipments domestically, and said that the country has already equipped all its naval vessels with home-made missiles.

“Today we can announce that all the vessels of the Army have been equipped with missiles built inside the country,” Commander of the Iranian Army Major General Ataollah Salehi said at the time.

Iran has been pushing an arms development program in recent years in a bid to reach self-sufficiency. Tehran launched its arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran, to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992, Iran has produced its own jet fighters and armored vehicles as well as radar-avoiding missiles and other high-tech weapons.

Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country’s military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.