Iran tests missile system — Revolutionary Guard
August 24, 2019
Iran has test-fired a new missile, Revolutionary Guard commander Major General Hossein Salami said Saturday, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Read more: What is Iran's Revolutionary Guard?
"Our country is always the arena for testing a variety of defense and strategic systems and these are non-stop movements towards the growth of our deterrent power," Salami said. "And yesterday was one of the successful days for this nation."
He did not provide information about the missile test.
Military analysts say Iran often exaggerates new missile and defense capabilities, although one reason the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear accord was over the country's long-range ballistic missile program.
Read more: Iran's military power: What you need to know
On Thursday, Iran unveiled a domestically built mobile surface-to-air defense system. State media reported the Bavar-373 long-range missile defense system was similar to Russia's S-300.
Iran began developing the Bavar-373 in 2010 after international sanctions restricted the sale of the S-300. After years of delays, Russia delivered the S-300 to Iran in 2016 following the lifting of sanctions under the international nuclear accord.
In June, Iran shot down a US Global Hawk drone with a surface-to-air missile, almost setting off a military conflict with the United States. Iran said the drone was in its airspace, a claim Washington denied.
cw/rc (AFP, Reuters)