TEHRAN – The former defense minister has placed Iran among the top five powers in the world that have the technology to launch precision-guided missiles.

“We are among the top five countries which have developed the precision-guided missile capabilities,” Ahmad Vahidi said in an interview with Tasnim news agency published on Tuesday.

Vahidi linked Iran’s home-grown missile technology with enemies’ fears, saying, “It is this high technological quality which has caused our enemies to panic.”  

The brigadier general also explained that Iran’s missile power has paved the way for the country’s progress in space projects. “Without missile power, we could never put a satellite into orbit.”

Iran test-fires missiles of different ranges and capabilities year round during regular military drills to keep its armed forces on their toes and has developed home-grown missile classes.

In April, Brigadier General Ali Abdollahi, the armed forces deputy chief of staff, said Iran had test-fired a precision-guided ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers and an error margin of eight meters, though news was not confirmed by other senior officials. 

Also, Mohsen Rafiqdoost, the former IRGC minister, had asserted, “We outdo some major world countries not only in the missile technology, but also in the sphere of armored weaponry, drones, submarines, and all parts of the military industry.”
Some western powers have not hidden their sensitivity to what they call Tehran’s ambitious program.
Tehran insists that the capability is merely defensive, deeming the concerns unwarranted.
Particularly, Iran’s missile capabilities are a potential source of controversy between Tehran and Washington. 
In one recent case, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had said the U.S. and its partners were “prepared to work on a new arrangement to find a peaceful solution to these issues.”
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif replied that the country’s missile program was not up for negotiation with the U.S.

AK/PA