Iran's Defense Ministry has boasted about its latest solid-fuel ballistic missile. The Associated Press reported this, citing Iranian state television.
The "Qassem Basir" ballistic missile was shown during an interview with Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh. He said it includes improvements in both guidance and maneuverability to overcome layers of defense and easily bypass anti-ballistic defense systems. The missile was tested on April 17.
The missile has a range of at least 1,200 kilometers. It can also identify and hit a specific target among many without GPS guidance and with extreme accuracy.
In response to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who warned Iran about its support for the Houthis in Yemen, Nasirzadeh said that if a war is initiated by the United States or Israel, Iran will strike their interests, bases and forces "wherever they are and whenever necessary." Nasirzadeh stressed that Tehran is not hostile to its neighbors and seeks brotherly relations, but in the event of an attack, American bases in the region will be considered legitimate targets.
Tehran established its ballistic missile program after suffering attacks with Iraqi Scud missiles in the Iraq war. The presentation of the new ballistic missile comes amid escalating tensions following the attack on Israel's Ben Gurion Airport by the Houthis.