Iran has tested long-range, short-range, guided, and locally developed "cruise" missiles during naval exercises, confirming that it hit its targets successfully, and this choice comes at a time when Tehran confirms its determination to develop its missile programs despite US sanctions and pressure.
The Iranian army website said today, Thursday, that the Iranian army naval forces carried out this maneuver in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean, the first of its kind since the Iranian navy launched a missile at a ship belonging to it during similar exercises last May, killing 19 Iranian sailors.
The Iranian army website said that long-range and short-range cruise missiles were used during this maneuvering of land-to-sea and sea-type maneuvers, adding that the missiles hit their targets 280 kilometers north of the Indian Ocean.
He continued that the used missiles were made by the Iranian Ministry of Defense in cooperation with the navy in the Iranian army.
The Iranian army's coordinator of operations, Admiral Habibullah Sayyari, said that testing these missiles in the military exercise is aimed at increasing the defense and deterrent capacity of the Iranian navy.
High accuracy
For his part, the commander of the Iranian navy, Admiral Hussain Khanzadi, stated that these missiles were equipped with new guidance systems and warheads, and that they are capable of hitting their targets with high accuracy, stressing that they are able to resist any kind of electronic warfare.
Iranian media has broadcast pictures showing the firing of rockets from a ship and a military truck near the shore, as well as showing that a ship was hit by one of the missiles that were tested.
"The missiles have the precision and lethal power of Iran's enemies," said the Iranian television reporter during the launches.
The maneuver comes after a period of tensions between the Iranian and American navies, as Washington said that several Iranian boats approached repeatedly and dangerously from US ships in the Gulf waters, but Tehran denied the validity of the American accusations.
The United States is pressing for an extension of the arms embargo to Iran, but allies of Iran, led by Russia and China, oppose this.
Earlier this year, Iran announced that its army was delivering a homemade drones with a range of 1,500 km.