Iran has announced plans to unveil a new fighter jet and continue to improve missile capabilities, warning of “decisive” action if its security is ever threatened.
Speaking on a live TV programme at the weekend, Brigadier General Amir Hatami confirmed the wraps would be taken off the fighter jet on Wednesday, which also marks Iran’s Defence Industry Day.
He said: “A plane, which has passed several stages, will be presented on the Defence Industry Day and people will see the fighter jet from a close distance as well as the equipment used for its manufacture.”
Mr Hatami also shed more light on the recent unveiling of the precession-guided ‘Fateh Mobin’ missile, stressing that the new weapons would significantly boost the country’s defences.
But this also came with a stern warning to anyone considering entering direct conflict with it, a move sure to stoke up already delicate relations with a number of nations.
He said: “Our focus has been on priorities, with the top priority being the missile issue.
“We are in a good position in this field, but we need to develop it.”
“We have never sought and will never seek weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons due to our religious beliefs and as stated by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, but we will not allow a violation of our interests and are looking for peace.
“We operate within the framework of Iran’s strategy based on active deterrence.
“Iran has never invaded a country, but anyone attempting to threaten our security will receive a decisive response.”
The Fateh-110 missile has double the range of other missiles, with defence chiefs vowing to to increase Iran’s military power every day as long as the country continues to be threatened.
The weapon’s newest range is predicted to be 186-310 miles (330-500 kilometres), up from the previous range of 124-186 miles (200-300 kilometres).
State broadcaster IRIB reported that the new missile had already “successfully passed its tests” and had the ability to strike targets both on land and at sea.
In a thinly-veiled threat to US President Donald Trump, Mr Hatami told conservative news agency Tasnim: “As promised to our dear people, we will not spare any effort to increase the missile capabilities of the country and we will certainly increase our missile power every day.
“Be sure that the greater the pressures and psychological warfare against the great nation of Iran, our will to enhance our defence power in all fields will increase.”
Mr Hatami’s remarks are the latest in what has become a dangerously escalating war between the US and Iran, who have fired serious threats toward one another on several occasions.
International sanctions on Iran were lifted when the 2015 nuclear agreement with other major world powers – the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany – came into force the following year.
But Mr Trump pulled out of the agreement in June, labelling the deal struck under the Presidency of Barack Obama as “one of the worst deals ever”.
Fresh US sanctions on Tehran took effect on August 7, targeting US dollars, metals trading, coal, industrial software and its auto sector.
Tougher measures targeting Iran’s lucrative oil exports – which could plummet by two-thirds by the end of this year – are expected to take effect from November.
Last week, Iran threatened the US with war in a vow of unity with Turkey after Mr Trump imposed further tariff sanctions on the country that has crippled the lira.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif warned the US President that the “entire world would unite” and use “force” the US to scrap fresh sanctions imposed as a result of a spat over a detained American pastor and Turkey’s defiance to buy oil from Iran.
Source » express