IRGC: We are world's fourth missile power

Iran is the world's fourth missile power, after the United States, Russia and China, the country’s defense minister said this weekend.

Iran has made important breakthroughs in its defense sector in recent years, attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems and enhanced the preparedness of its forces by holding various drills, Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said in an interview with Al-Alam TV channel on Friday.

The country was currently striving to boost the accuracy of the missiles and make them radar-evading, Dehqan added, as reported by state channel Press TV.

Meanwhile, a senior member of Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps warned on Friday that the Iranian military had the ability to target aircraft carriers using supersonic missiles.

“We can easily target hostile aircraft carriers with our supersonic missiles and we have advanced technology that would leave our enemies in awe,” corps deputy commander Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami said during a speech carried by the official Iranian news agency IRNA.

Dehqan stressed that Iran had repeatedly assured other nations, especially its regional neighbors, that its military might posed no threat to other countries and that its defense doctrine was based on deterrence.

Dehqan added that Iran had rejected attempts by the U.S. and its partners to include the issue of Iran’s missile capability in the nuclear talks between Tehran and the P5+1 group of nations.

“What we are discussing with the P5+1 is merely the nuclear issue and no other topic has been put or will be put on the agenda,” the defense minister said.

Haaretz