TEHRAN — Iran’s Navy successfully test-fired new homegrown cruise missiles on Thursday during a military exercise in the Sea of Oman and the northern parts of the Indian Ocean.

During the military exercise, codenamed “Ramadan Martyrs”, the missiles hit targets at a distance of 280 kilometers.

Short-range and long-range cruise missiles manufactured by the Iranian Defense Ministry were tested during the war game, Tasnim reported.

A variety of coast-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles with short and long ranges were fired simultaneously from the coastal launchers and the deck of naval vessels, and they could successfully detonate the targets with great accuracy.

The war game was held on the fortieth day after a number of Navy forces were killed in an incident involving the Konarak vessel.

Nineteen Navy servicemen were killed and 15 others injured in the accident on May 10 when a number of vessels were carrying a naval training exercise off the coasts of Jask and Chabahar in the Sea of Oman.

After the war game, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the army deputy chief for coordination affairs, described the successful test as a promising step to further boost the country’s defense and deterrence power.

Sayyari said Iran will continue to move towards self-sufficiency despite brutal sanctions imposed on the country.

“Successful test-firing of long-range missiles is a sign of remarkable progress in boosting synergy between the armed forces and defense industries,” he added.

Navy Chief Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi also noted that production of new home-grown missiles by Iranian experts will better equip the Islamic Republic to handle any threat against the Islamic establishment and the Iranian people while strengthening a sense of self-reliance in the armed forces.

Deputy Defense Minister Ghasem Taghizadeh said the ministry would spare no effort in supporting and improving the defense capability of the armed forces through designing and manufacturing state-of-the-art equipment.

In relevant remarks in April, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said that Iran has increased the range of its naval missiles to 700 kilometers.

“Once the farthest range of our naval missiles did not exceed 45 km and even that was reached with the help of American military advisors,” Rear Admiral Tangsiri said.

“However, we have developed subsurface and surface-to-surface missiles with a range of 700 kilometers, which have been totally made by domestic military experts,” he added.

Tens of missiles await enemy, warns Army chief

Army Chief Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi warned enemies that tens of missiles await them if they take any action against Iran.

“No sanction will restrict the long-sighted Iranian mindset,” Mousavi wrote in a letter to Khanzadi.

He also praised the naval forces for conducting a successful naval exercise, saying the war game created a wave of hope, pride and honor in the hearts of the people.

MH/PA