| Iran test-fires missile with new guidance system |
DUBAI Iran has test-fired a new, more accurate short-range missile capable of striking land and sea targets, it said on Saturday, a show of strength that underscored its ability to hit shipping in the Strait of Hormuz if attacked.
“With the fourth generation of the Fateh 110, the armed forces of our country are able to target and destroy land and sea targets, enemy headquarters ... missile seats, ammunition sites, radars and other points,” Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said in quotes carried by the official Irna news agency.
The missile has a range of around 300km, meaning it could strike Iran’s immediate neighbours and might also be able to hit Hormuz shipping, as well as energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and the US fifth fleet in Bahrain.
Such moves would risk a military response from the US. “Using new guidance methods, target-striking systems were installed on the missiles and during the flight test ... its ability to hit the target without deviation was proven,” Vahidi said, according to Irna.
“In future programmes, all future missiles built by the defence ministry will be equipped with this capability,” he added.
Vahidi said the missile was intended as a defencive weapon.
“These capabilities are defencive and would only be used against aggressors and those who threaten the country’s interests and territorial integrity,” he said.
Separately, a fire that broke out at Iran’s biggest petrochemical plant killed at least one person and injured 15 others before it was put out, Iranian media reported.
The blaze at the Bandar Imam petrochemical complex, in the southwestern city of Mahshahr, occurred on Friday and was caused by a gas leak in a feeding line, according to the Shana news agency belonging to Iran’s oil ministry.
“Unfortunately in this accident, one person was killed,” it quoted Qodratollah Nasiri, the security head of Iran’s National Petrochemical Co., as saying.
The fire was now extinguished, Nasiri was quoted as saying. “The processing units at the plant were not damaged... but some of the units are offline.”
Reuters
|
 |
|
|
| NEWS UPDATES |
|
|
|
|
|
|
