Its missile capabilities pose a threat to the Middle East… Iran reveals its new missile
In a move that may worsen Western concerns over its missile capabilities, Iran on Tuesday unveiled its first ultrasonic ballistic missile, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.
The commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said: Tuesday’s sunrise is not like any other ordinary day’s sunrise; it comes to light with the unveiling of Fattah.
“Fattah is a supersonic missile with a range of 1,400 kilometers, capable of penetrating the most advanced defense systems and of accurately striking missile defense systems,” the Iranian News Agency (IRNA) reported.
The state-run agency released images of the missile, named Fattah, at a ceremony attended by Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and senior Revolutionary Guard commanders. The ultrasound missiles can fly at least five times faster than the speed of sound and on complicated tracks, making them difficult to intercept.
Unlike conventional ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles fly low in the atmosphere and are controllable, making prediction and interception difficult.
Iran’s move came as hopes that a 2015 deal between major powers and Tehran over its nuclear program had been dashed.
The 2015 agreement allowed for the lifting of sanctions on Iran in return for reducing its nuclear activities and ensuring the peaceful nature of its program, but the United States withdrew from it in 2018 under former President Donald Trump, reimposing sanctions on Iran, which responded by gradually reneging on most of its commitments.
Iran’s missile arsenal is ranked as the largest and most diverse in the Middle East, according to the American website missile threat, which explained that it includes thousands of missiles of various types.
The British newspaper, The Times, published an article by Roger Boyes on Iran’s development of missile capabilities, which he says are growing rapidly and represent a greater threat to the Middle East.