TEHRAN – Iran has unveiled a new domestically-built drone that can hit targets “far beyond its borders”, Mehr reported.

The drone, dubbed Kian, was unveiled on Sunday morning, in a ceremony attended by Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard, commander of Iran’s Air Defense Force.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sabahifard said Kian had been designed in two types, one of which enjoys high-speed capabilities for tracking and identifying targets while the other one is capable of long-haul flights to conduct precision-strike operations.

He said the advanced drone was designed, produced, tested and operationalized in one year by the young experts of the Drone Unit of Iran’s Air Defense Force.

Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing military equipment and hardware despite facing sanctions imposed by the United States.

The Islamic Republic says its military power is solely for defensive purposes and does not pose any threat to other countries.

In remarks on Friday, Sabahifard hailed the recent progress of his forces, saying Iran’s air defense achievements are way ahead of expectations.

The general also pointed the domestically-built missile defense system dubbed “Bavar-373” and said few countries have the capabilities to produce similar missile defense systems.

On Thursday, Iran unveiled a long-range surface-to-air missile system, dubbed “Bavar-373”, saying the missile system is more advanced than the U.S. Patriot system and its Russian counterpart S-300.

Bavar-373 is a mobile missile defense system designed to intercept and destroy incoming hostile targets. The system employs missiles that have a maximum range of 300 kilometers. The system is capable of simultaneously detecting up to 300 targets, tracking 60 targets at once and engaging six targets at a time.

The developments came amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States.

The United States has called on its European and Asian allies to form a maritime force to supposedly monitor safe shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf.

Sabahifard said the security of the Persian Gulf region can only be established by regional countries and not by foreign forces.

Extra-regional countries’ presence and coalitions only destabilize the region, he said during a speech at the Friday prayers.

MH/