Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/DUBAI: Iran has developed a cruise missile ranging 1,650 kilometres, a top Revolutionary Guards commander said, in a move likely to increase Western concerns after Russia’s use of Iranian drones during the Ukraine war.
The head of the Revolutionary Guards aerospace forces, Amirali Hajizadeh, spoke of Iran’s often repeated threat to avenge the United States (US) killing of an Iranian commander, saying, “We are looking to kill (former United States President Donald) Trump.”
Hajizadeh said, “Our cruise missile with the range of 1,650 kilo-meter has been added to the missile arsenal of Iran,”. It said that was the first footage showing the new Paveh cruise missile.
Hajizadeh said that Iran didn’t intend to kill “poor soldiers” when it launched the ballistic missile attack on United States (US)-led forces in Iraq days after Iranian Army commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a United States drone strike in 2020 in Baghdad.
Hajizadeh said that “God willing, we are looking to kill Trump. (Ex-Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo and army commanders who issued the order (to kill Soleimani) should be killed.”
Iranian leaders often vowed to avenge Soleimani on solid terms.
Iran expanded its missile program, particularly its ballistic missile, in defiance of opposition from the US and expressions of concern by European nations. Iran says the program is purely defensive and of a deterrent nature.
Developed Long-Range
Iran has said it had supplied Russia with drones before the war in Ukraine. Moscow has used drones to target power stations and civilian infrastructure.
In November 2022, the Pentagon said that the United States (US) was sceptical of reports quoting Hajizadeh as saying Iran had developed a hypersonic ballistic missile.
