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IRI missile capability deters enemy threats: IRGC Commander

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Dec 21, IRNA -- Islamic Republic of Iran's missile defense power has deterred enemy's threats against country, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG) Commander Mohammad-Ali Jafari said here Wednesday.

Speaking in a ceremony held in commemoration of 40th day after death of General Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, the father of Iran's missile program, the official noted that the hostile states are frightened of Iran’s defense power.

“The US occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan was aimed at limiting Iran's regional influence and the people's faith in Islamic Republic's guarantees about their future,” he noted.

Before, Iran’s 1979 revolution, Tehran's military industry was limited to its collection of foreign weapons. In the assembly lines that were put up by the American firms, such as Bell, Litton and Northrop, the Iranian workers used to put together a variety of helicopters, aircraft, guided missiles, electronic components and tanks. In 1973 the Iran Electronics Industries (IEI) was established.The company was set up as a first attempt to organize the assembly and repairs of foreign-delivered weapons. The Iranian Defense Industries Organization was the first to succeed in taking a step into what could be called a military industry by reverse engineering Soviet RPG-7, BM-21, and SAM-7 missiles in 1979.

Nevertheless, most of Iran's weapons before the Islamic revolution were imported from the United States and Europe.

After the Islamic revolution, Iran found itself severely isolated and lacking technological expertise. Because of economic sanctions and a weapons embargo put on Iran by the United States, Iran was forced to rely on its domestic arms industry for weapons and spare parts since there were very few countries willing to do business with Iran.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards were put in charge of creating what is today known as the Iranian military industry. Under their command, Iran's military industry was enormously expanded, and with the Ministry of Defense pouring investment into the missile industry, Iran soon accumulated a vast arsenal of missiles. Since 1992, it also has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, radar systems, guided missiles, submarines, military vessels and fighter planes.

In recent years, official announcements have highlighted the development of weapons such as the Fajr-3 (MIRV), Hoot, Kowsar, Fateh-110, Shahab-3 missile systems and a variety of unmanned aerial vehicles.

On November 2, 2006, Iran fired unarmed missiles to begin 10 days of military simulations. Iranian state television reported 'dozens of missiles were fired including Shahab-2 and Shahab-3 missiles. The missiles had ranges from 300 km to up to 2,000 km. Iranian experts have made some changes to Shahab-3 missiles installing cluster warheads in them with the capacity to carry 1,400 bombs.' Iran is also believed to have started the development of an ICBM/IRBM missile project, known as Ghadr-110 with a range of 3000 km; the program is paralleled with advancement of a satellite launcher named IRIS.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30725405