Iranian DM: Iran to Inaugurate New Production Line of Cruise Missiles Soon

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi announced on Thursday that the country is scheduled to inaugurate a new production line of its home-made cruise missiles in the near future.

“Iran’s Defense Ministry will unveil important arms, marine, aerospace and electro-optic achievements in the new Iranian calendar year (started on March 21),” General Vahidi said in the Western Iranian city of Kermanshah on Thursday.

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in the defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.

In January, Iran successfully test-fired surface-to-air mid-range Hawk missile and the Iranian Defense Ministry delivered new naval cruise missile systems to the Navy.

The systems, designed and manufactured by Iranian experts, are capable of spotting and destroying different targets at sea.

The Navy has successfully test-fired a range of powerful missiles mounted with laser technology, which display high precision and have a range of 45 km (28 miles) to 300 km (186 miles).

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.