ICBPS– The Islamic Republic of Iran’s IRGC unveiled new surface-to-surface ballistic missiles on Thursday, an act likely to hurt Washington as the Trump administration tries to tackle the IRI’s and nuclear weapon ambitions.
The FTO-IRGC displayed its new solid-fuel ballistic and cruise missile [long range] as tensions between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) mounted. The showoff came as the U.N.-imposed arms embargo against Ayatollahs in Iran is set to expire in October.
The surface-to-surface missile, called killed-terrorist Qassem Soleimani, has a range of 870 miles, and cruise missile, called killed-terrorist Abu Mahdi, has a range of over 620 miles, IRGC Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami stated in a telecast.
NEW Iranian missile: meet "Hajj Qasem Soleimani balistic misssile". Solid propulsion, longer range (1400 km) and accurate (declared CEP – 5m). pic.twitter.com/AEmZxPt9yM
— Tal Inbar (@inbarspace) August 20, 2020
“The new missiles will further enhance IRI’s deterrence power,” added the IRGC brigadier.
The Defence Minister Amir Hatami together with the Commander of IRGC Aerospace Force Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh unveiled a new generation of Soumar long-range ground-to-ground cruise missile — named Hoveyzeh — in Tehran on Saturday.
“We live in a world in which states do not pay attention to the nations’ rights, the nations’ sovereignty, their votes and are not committed to any treaties and international laws,” said Hatami as he explained the necessity of improving IRI’s defense line against such international violations.
Further, the so-called moderate Hassan Rouhani explaining new rockets as crucial for defense, claimed “Missiles and especially cruise rockets are really essential for us. … The fact that we have already increased the range from 300 to 1,000 [kilometers] in less than two years is a terrific accomplishment.” “Our military might and missile programs are defensive,” he added.
The reentry vehicle of the Shahid Hajj Qassem looks very similar to the Zolfaghar one (and to a slightly lesser extent the Dezful's) pic.twitter.com/TZk17c6kAW
— Fabian Hinz (@fab_hinz) August 20, 2020
The tensions allegedly mounted following the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the landmark Iran Nuclear Deal treaty in 2018 – calling it “the worst deal ever”—and Washington, recently, pushed members of the Security Council to extend a U.N.-imposed arms embargo on Tehran’s kleptocrats. The embargo is currently set to end in October under the so-called 2015 nuclear treaty brokered, in part, by the democrat Obama administration.
Recently, the Security Council, however, voted to not extend the international arms embargo on IRI, a choice that prompted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to officially notice the group on Thursday of the U.S. intention to “snapback” or bring back all U.N. sanctions on IRI.
Thirty days after Pompeo’s notice, a series of U.N. sanctions will be brought back, including the requirement that IRI suspends all enrichment-related activities. The “snapback” will likewise extend the 13-year arms embargo on Mullahs.
فیلم تست موشک کروز دریایی #شهید_ابومهدی pic.twitter.com/PJeNMOUJ9g
— Mohammad.Shaltouki (@mohshaltouki) August 20, 2020
“Pompeo’s notification to the Council follows its untenable failure last week to extend the arms embargo on the world’s prominent state sponsor of terrorism and anti-Semitism,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus emphasized in a declaration.
In January, Tehran stated that it would further scale back compliance with the global nuclear pact and would no longer restrict its uranium enrichment capacity or nuclear research study.
While the other signatories of the nuclear offer– France, Germany, the U.K., Russia and China– have already attempted to keep the treaty alive, the state broadcast said at the time that Tehran’s steps might be reversed if Washington lifted its sanctions.
The so-called 2015 treaty lifted sanctions on Ayatollahs that crippled Tehran’s economy and cut its oil exports approximately in half. In exchange for sanctions relief, IRI promised limits on its nuclear program until the terms end in 2025.
Trump has formerly stated that the U.S. wants to reach a broader deal with Iran that puts more stringent restrictions on its ballistic missile and nuclear programs and reduces the IRI’s role in regional proxy wars. Tehran has already refused to negotiate while U.S. sanctions remain in place.
