MOSCOW, April 16 (RIA Novosti) – Iran has successfully test-fired a medium range shore-to-sea ballistic missile in the Persian Gulf, the Islamic republic’s deputy defense minister Majid Bokaei said on Tuesday, according to Iran’s Press TV website.
He provided no details of the flight range, the missile specifications or the time of the test.
On Saturday, Iran successfully test-fired three new surface-to-surface domestically produced missiles, the Fars news agency reported.
Iran test-fired the Naze'at 10 and Fajr 5 during a military exercise in mid-March. The Fajr-5 is a long-range artillery rocket with a maximum range of 75 kilometers (47 miles), while Naze'at-10 is a medium-range ballistic missile capable of hitting targets within a radius of 100-300 kilometers (62-186 miles).
Iranian officials and commanders have repeatedly stressed that all tests and training of the Iranian armed forces are only for deterrent and self-defense purposes.
On February 10, Iran successfully tested the Fakour air-to-air missile and on December 31, 2012 the Ra’d (Thunder) surface-to-air missile, Press TV reported.
In July, Iran’s Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi announced progress in the development and manufacture of an indigenous version of the advanced Russian S-300 air defense missile system.
Iranian military officials said the missile system, called Bavar (Belief) 373, is more powerful and advanced than the Russian S-300.
An $800 million contract to supply Iran with the Russian missile system was signed in late 2007, under which Russia was to deliver five S-300PMU-1 battalions to Tehran. However, on September 22, 2010, Russia’s then-President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree terminating the contract in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1929, which bans the supply to Iran of conventional weapons including missiles and missile systems, tanks, attack helicopters, warplanes and ships.
