The missile, named Hoveyzeh after a city in southwest Iran known for its resistance during the 1980s Iraqi war, was showcased at an exhibition of defense achievements in Tehran on Saturday.
"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 during the unveiling ceremony. Hatami said the missile, which has been designed and manufactured by experts at the ministry's aviation industries organization, has a range of over 1,350 kilometers.
It has high precision and accuracy and is capable of heavily destroying ground targets, the defense minister said. "The Hoveyzeh missile is the symbol of self-belief and an important defense achievement based on today's technological progress in the world."
The missile, he noted, shows that "no obstacle can hinder the Iranian nation's determination and will in the defense field." Hatami cited remarks by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei who has said Iran "will decisively respond to any kind of threat at the same level."
Head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corp (IRGC)'s aerospace division General Amirali Hajizadeh said at the event Iran could now manufacture a full range of missiles after overcoming initial problems in producing jet engines for cruise missiles.
Tehran has reiterated that its missiles are defensive and used for deterrence in the face of repeated foreign threats. The country has said it will not negotiate on its missile capabilities under any circumstances.
US President Donald Trump quit a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran in May because it did not include hampering the country's ballistic missile program.
Source: press TV
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